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| Witkoff says he discussed demilitarizing Hamas during Doha meet with Arab leaders |
| 2025-03-17 |
| [IsraelTimes] Asked whether the US is talking to specific countries about taking in Palestinians from Gaza, US special envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff avoids answering directly, saying the Trump administration is “exploring all alternatives and options that lead to a better life for Gazans.” In the past, Witkoff and US President Donald Trump have pushed for Egypt and Jordan to take in Palestinians, though both countries have vehemently rejected the idea and have instead backed an Arab plan for the post-war management of Gaza that would allow Palestinians to remain in the Strip while it is being rebuilt. No electricity, no clean water, no sewage system, rubble piled high over shaky foundations over tunnels, and the only work is digging new tunnels — they clearly hate the Gazans with the burning hate of a thousand suns. Offering a similar update on the hostage negotiations as the one he gave on an earlier interview with CNN, Witkoff tells CBS’s “Face the Nation” that Hamas’s response to his bridge proposal was “not encouraging.”During his visit to Doha on Wednesday to participate in hostage talks, Witkoff also met with top officials from Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority. He says the summit lasted seven and a half hours and discussed a final peace resolution for Gaza in which Hamas would be demilitarized, “which must happen — that’s a red line for the Israelis.” The terror group has rejected this demand to date, but has privately told Arab mediators that it is prepared to give up governing control of Gaza, two senior Arab diplomats have told The Times of Israel. Off to be the power behind the throne while the new guys, whoever they are, become the targets of Israel’s deadly ire — until Hamas is ready to throw off the hudna and repeat 10/7. Goody. While in Doha, Witkoff also put forward a bridge proposal to extend the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.“Hamas came up with their own construct, which essentially disavowed what we discussed and to my mind that was a pretty poor ending,” Witkoff says. “I hope they reconsider because the alternative is not so good for them,” he adds. Israel doesn’t expect Hamas to accept ‘Witkoff proposal,” says official [IsraelTimes] Despite a series of statements reiterating Israel’s support for the “Witkoff proposal,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s aides do not believe Hamas will ever accept the outline, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel. “It’s not going to happen,” says the official. “Everyone is well aware of this.” The “Witkoff proposal,” which US special envoy Steve Witkoff presented in Doha on Wednesday and detailed in part on Friday, has been said by Israel to call for half the living hostages to be released at the start of an extended ceasefire that would last until the end of the Passover holiday in mid-April, with the possibility of the rest of the hostages being released at the end of the period. The official says Israel’s insistence that Hamas accept the proposal is a negotiating tactic. “The goal is to get more than just American hostages out because that’s not acceptable in Israel.” Hamas on Friday offered to release the last living Israeli-US hostage, Edan Alexander, and return the bodies of four others with dual Israeli-US citizenship — Itay Chen, Omer Neutra, Gadi Haggai and Judy Weinstein — in return for extending the truce and the release of more Palestinian security prisoners. Both Israel and the US rejected the Hamas offer, with Witkoff indicating it was disingenuous. If Hamas does not agree to release hostages who don’t have US citizenship, Israel will end the ceasefire, says the official. “There are war plans crafted. There won’t be an endless amount of time — several weeks at the very most.” Israel is prepared to send a team back to Doha for talks, says the official, once given a “green light” by Washington. Related: Steve Witkoff 03/15/2025 Thousands at Hostages Square for Purim gathering colored by hopes for captives’ salvation Steve Witkoff 03/15/2025 Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: March 14, 2025 Steve Witkoff 03/15/2025 US emissary's high-handedness pushes Israel to make concessions on Gaza |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #2 Of course. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2025-03-17 11:22 |
| #1 A peaceful Hamas? More than likely, it will retire the Hamas Name, due to its well documented, kill anything not Islamic Terrorist Group agenda. Then just start the same genocidal radical Islamic 💩 under another new name. |
| Posted by: NN2N1 2025-03-17 07:43 |