Free Republic

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back on pressure to reach a cease-fire deal after thousands of protesters poured onto the streets in the hours after the military said six hostages in Gaza were killed by Hamas. Netanyahu doubled down in public remarks Monday, saying he wants Israel to remain in control of the Philadelphi corridor, which is a narrow strip along Gaza’s border with Egypt where Israel claims Hamas smuggles weapons into Gaza, The Associated Press reported. Egypt and Hamas have denied the claims. The control of the corridor has been a major demand from Israel in cease-fire negotiations....

The United States could be expected to mount pressure on India and Pakistan to improve their relations and put focus on Washington’s so-called AfPak agenda, former US Ambassador Robert Blackwill said here on Tuesday. To that end New Delhi may be asked by the Obama administration to resolve the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan. ‘The possible effect of such an enveloping US preoccupation with Pakistan seems on its way in practical terms to re-hyphenating the US-India relationship, leading the administration to see India largely through the lens of deeply disturbing developments in Pakistan,’ Mr Blackwill, who was the Bush administration’s ambassador...

Tourism Minister Benny Elon of the National Union said Monday night that the dismantling of outposts was a "surrender to American pressure" which is pressing Israel to implement the 'road map' peace plan. Elon added that outpost removal was not in Israel's national strategic interests. The decision to remove outposts, said Elon, "scorned" Israel's decision not to take any diplomatic steps until the terrorism ended. The Minister said he was planning to travel to settlement outposts scheduled to be removed Monday night in the West Bank.