141: Col. Richard Kemp: "The UN, US and UK just threw the Israeli hostages under the bus"

The war started by the October 7th massacres is the longest in Israel's history.

But with rockets still being fired from Gaza into Israel’s southernmost city of Sderot and a first Houthi rocket landing further south, what next steps are open to Israel - and what of the deteriorating relationship with the United States?

Our esteemed guest today is Col. Richard Kemp, commander of British Forces in Afghanistan and Chair of the COBRA Intelligence Group, coordinating MI5 and MI6 during the London bombings of 2005 and the Bali and Madrid terror attacks.

Richard joined the Army the day after he left school and spent thirty distinguished years in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Bosnia, as well as Afghanistan. 

He always delivers new insight into war commentary and this discussion is no different.

Col. Kemp hails the success of the Shifa Hospital campaign in northern Gaza as “the single largest and most successful operations in the war so far".

The IDF killed around 140 terrorists from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as arresting around 650 additional terrorists.

He describes the evacuation of a million or more civilians sheltering in Rafah as possible - and explains how instead of moving Gazans north into cities like Khan Yunis, why Egypt could so easily solve the refugee issue - but won’t.

Not forgetting our hostages? Where are they? How can they be rescued? Israel has never been more on its own. 

Richard says Hamas has only been emboldened by the UN Security Council resolution, which called for a ceasefire and for the freeing of hostages, but to Israel’s fury did not hinge the ceasefire demand on freeing them. 

But there is a military alternative to going into Rafah. With world opinion led by the UN and the Biden Administration squarely against Israel finishing off Hamas on their terms, Richard explains the options open to Israel which you're not hearing about in the media. You’ll hear it here.

Plus the unreported cooperation between Israel and Egypt, who also share a border with Gaza beyond Rafah. 

This episode is presented with the cooperation and support of ELNET UK, a bipartisan, cross-party international organisation working to advance UK-Israel relations based on shared democratic values and strategic interests.

Our discussion is led by ELNET UK's CEO, the Rt. Hon. Joan Ryan.

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