Iran Pledges Response; Washington Hopes to Avoid Major Regional Escalation / Concerns Persist Over Targeting of Unit 8200; Questions Arise About War and Deterrence

Albinaa’ Newspaper Headlines August 28, 2024

The political editor wrote

The head of the occupying entity’s government no longer needs a call from U.S. President Joe Biden to send negotiation delegations to Doha and Cairo, where a technical delegation from the entity is already present in both locations to continue negotiations. Meanwhile, the resistance holds firm to the principles it previously announced, which are included in the July 2 agreement presented to and accepted by them. This agreement reflects the essence of President Biden’s initiative and UN Security Council Resolution 2735, particularly the principles of a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, ending the war, and rejecting any new vetoes to alter the agreed-upon terms for the prisoner exchange. However, there seems to be no change in the stance of the entity’s negotiating delegations, as they continue to insist on new demands related to the Philadelphia Corridor and the Nitzarim crossing. There have been rejected leaks from the resistance regarding a possible swap: withdrawing from the Philadelphia Corridor in exchange for remaining in Nitzarim. Meanwhile, Palestinian sources closely monitoring the situation believe that the occupation’s bet is on achieving a significant shift in the balance of power in the West Bank through the bloody campaigns organised by the occupation army there, before seriously sitting at the negotiating table. Therefore, the resistance factions are putting all their weight into thwarting the occupation’s plan in the West Bank, considering it the key to achieving a balanced negotiation. This is especially significant in light of the reverberations of the resistance’s response in Lebanon to the aggressive action that targeted the southern suburbs a month ago and led to the assassination of Commander Fouad Shukr. The retreat from war rhetoric against Lebanon among the entity’s leaders is seen as an indicator of a new phase that requires monitoring to understand the extent of the resulting negotiation changes. With the escalating problems facing the entity on the northern front, there is no longer time to resort to war or even promise it as a solution to these challenges. When Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says that war is a distant possibility, he must explain how he will ensure the return of displaced settlers without reaching an agreement in Gaza that guarantees the cessation of hostilities on the southern Lebanon front.

Within the entity, many experts and commentators are discussing the repercussions of Hezbollah’s response, but caution remains the prevailing sentiment as they await the Iranian response, which Tehran, through its Deputy Defense Minister, has stated is inevitable and forthcoming. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff expressed hope that it does not lead to further regional escalation. However, the discussion within the entity continues unabated about the significance of the resistance in Lebanon restoring the balance of deterrence, the implications of dozens of drones reaching Tel Aviv’s skies and targeting a highly fortified and protected facility – the headquarters of Unit 8200 – and what this means for the exposure of Tel Aviv’s security. There are also questions about the concept of deterrence and the possibility of reviving the option of war, as some voices within the entity still hope, despite the political and military leaders’ assurances that this option has been taken off the table.