Israeli prosecutors agreed to cancel a planned hearing today in Netanyahu’s corruption trial due to Israel’s renewed assault on Gaza. Netanyahu had been scheduled to testify. On Sunday, Netanyahu said he would remove Israel’s top domestic intelligence official, head of Shin Bet, Ronen Bar. Shin Bet has been investigating two of Netanyahu’s advisers over document leaks and ties with Qatar. The news set off protests in Israel, with more planned this week.
Motti Diletkol: “It’s going to harm the negotiation to release all the hostages. I think Bibi doesn’t want to release all the hostages, because when he releases all the hostages and he has declared that’s the end of the war, that’s the end of his political situation.”
On Friday, the Associated Press reported Israeli and U.S. officials claimed to have contacted counterparts in Sudan, Somalia and Somaliland to discuss taking in expelled Palestinians from Gaza. According to the AP, Sudan has rejected the idea, while Somalia and Somaliland say they are not aware of any such contacts. President Trump has repeatedly called for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.
