During a State Department press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the need for diplomacy between Israel and Hezbollah. As the United States strives to quell Israeli intentions to strike Hezbollah, Blinken contended with journalists pressing for an admission of discord with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Blinken stated his belief that neither Israel nor Hezbollah desires an escalation of the conflict. “Lebanon certainly does not want this, as it would bear the brunt,” he remarked. “I also doubt Iran wishes for it, yet there seems to be a momentum heading in that direction.”
According to Blinken, the threat posed by Hezbollah has rendered life untenable, with numerous individuals in Southern Lebanon unable to reside in their homes and towns. He further mentioned that the escalation near the Jordanian border has forced many Israelis to abandon their homes as well.
The Secretary has once again attributed the tensions to Hamas’s lack of good faith in seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Gaza. “Now, here again, so much of this comes back to the ceasefire. The most immediate way to empower our diplomacy and to be able to reach an agreement that allows people to return to their homes and live in security would be through a ceasefire in Gaza,” Blinken said. “Because Hezbollah has tied the actions that it’s committing against Israel to Gaza.”
The press further questioned Blinken on whether there was a disagreement with Netanyahu, who accused the United States of delaying arms shipments to his government during the war. The prime minister expressed gratitude to the White House for its support following the October 7 terror attacks, and then added on Tuesday that it was “inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunition to Israel”.
Netanyahu stated that during his recent meeting in Israel, he had a “frank discussion” about arms supplies with Mr. Blinken. “Secretary Blinken has given assurances that the administration is tirelessly working to eliminate these obstacles,” he remarked. “I certainly hope that is true. It ought to be true.”
The Israeli Prime Minister argued that increasing the flow of US weapons would expedite the end of the war.
Netanyahu stated that during his recent meeting in Israel, he had a “frank discussion” about arms supplies with Mr. Blinken. “Secretary Blinken has given assurances that the administration is tirelessly working to eliminate these obstacles,” he remarked. “I certainly hope that is true. It ought to be true.”
The Israeli Prime Minister argued that increasing the flow of US weapons would expedite the end of the war.
Secretary Blinken quickly pointed out that the US had only held back a single well-known shipment of 2,000-pound bombs, with all other weapons continuing to flow into Israel. Nonetheless, less than two weeks after suggesting he might withhold further arms to Israel should they cross a red line in Rafah, President Joe Biden authorized a new package.
This package, reportedly including about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles, and $60 million in mortar rounds, was disclosed. Blinken confirmed that all other shipments had been dispatched as scheduled. Additionally, the Biden administration is reportedly advancing what is presumed to be the largest weapons package for Israel, expected to exceed $18 billion, which includes approximately 50 state-of-the-art F-15 fighter jets.
A report by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies indicates an abundance of arms shipments to Israel, to the extent that a senior Pentagon official noted challenges in securing enough cargo aircraft for delivery. The Foundation compiled a list from news reports and official data detailing the delivered weapons, which included air defense systems, precision-guided munitions, artillery shells, tank rounds, small arms, drone-operated Hellfire missiles, 30-mm cannon ammunition, PVS-14 night vision devices, and disposable shoulder-fired rockets.
Blinken and Biden have reaffirmed the United States’ dedication to Israel’s security, expressing confidence that any disagreements can be resolved. As tensions rise, it is crucial for both nations to remain composed to fulfill their shared objective of neutralizing Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) current operations in Gaza have surpassed the scope and duration of the 2006 Lebanon War and other significant conflicts involving Israel. Given Israel’s reliance on U.S. security assistance to confront Hamas, it is understandable that Israelis and the U.S. are concerned about a war with Hezbollah, because they are considerably more powerful than Hamas and better armed than they were in 2006.
In the past 24 hours, things have settled, and it appears that Washington and Jerusalem have resumed communications with plans to schedule meetings. Only time will reveal the duration until the next disagreement, but we can hope it will be a minor one.
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