Netanyahu not doing enough to reach deal for hostage release, ceasefire, says Biden

TEL AVIV (AP):

President Joe Biden says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not doing enough to reach a deal to free hostages and reach a ceasefire in its war with Hamas in Gaza.

Biden spoke to reporters Monday, two days after six hostages, including one Israeli-American, were found after being killed by Hamas. Protests rocked Israel over the government’s handling of the negotiations.

Asked if Netanyahu was doing enough, Biden responded, “No”.

Biden was arriving at the White House for a Situation Room meeting with advisers involved in negotiating a hostage deal and ceasefire. He insisted that negotiators remain “very close” to a deal, adding, “Hope springs eternal.”

A rare call for a general strike in Israel to protest the failure to return hostages held in Gaza led to closures and other disruptions around the country on Monday, including at its main international airport. But it was ignored in some areas, reflecting deep political divisions.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis poured into the streets late Sunday in grief and anger after six hostages were found dead in Gaza. The families and much of the public blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they could have been returned alive in a deal with Hamas to end the nearly 11-month-old war.

But others support Netanyahu’s strategy of maintaining military pressure on Hamas, whose October 7 attack into Israel triggered the war. They say it will force the militants to give in to Israeli demands, potentially facilitate rescue operations, and ultimately, annihilate the group.

A labor court ruled that the strike must end by 2:30 p.m. local time, accepting a petition from the government saying it was politically motivated.

The head of Israel’s largest trade union, the Histadrut, said it would abide by the court decision and instructed members to return to work. Arnon Bar-David had called for the general strike, the first since the start of the war. It aimed to shut down or disrupt major sectors of the economy, including banking and healthcare.

Airlines at Israel’s main international airport, Ben-Gurion, halted outgoing flights between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Those flights either departed early or were slightly delayed. Arriving flights continued as usual, according to the Israel Airports Authority.

“There’s no need to punish the whole state of Israel because of what is happening, overall. It is a victory for Hamas,” said one passenger, Amrani Yigal.

But in Jerusalem, resident Avi Lavi said that “I think this is fair. The time has come to stand and to wake up, to do everything for the hostages to come back alive.”

The Histadrut said banks, some large malls, and government offices had joined the strike, as well as some public-transit services although there did not appear to be major disruptions.

Municipalities in Israel’s populated central area, including Tel Aviv, participated, leading to shortened school hours. Other municipalities, including Jerusalem, did not participate.