Israel asks US to reschedule scrapped meeting on Rafah military plans

Israel has asked the White House to reschedule a high-level meeting on military plans for Gaza's southern city of Rafah that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had abruptly canceled, officials said on Wednesday. On Wednesday, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters: "The prime minister's office has agreed to reschedule the meeting dedicated" to Rafah. On Wednesday, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters: "The prime minister's office has agreed to reschedule the meeting dedicated" to Rafah. "So we're now working with them to set (a) convenient date," she added. An Israeli official in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that a new meeting was being arranged and said Netanyahu was considering sending his delegation as early as next week. The Israeli team will still be led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, two of Netanyahu's close confidants, according to a person familiar with the matter. The talks are expected to focus on Israel's threatened offensive in Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.