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U.S. Officials Quietly Back Israel's Military Push Against Hizbullah

(Politico) Erin Banco - Senior White House figures privately told Israel that the U.S. would support its decision to ramp up military pressure against Hizbullah. Presidential adviser Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk, the White House coordinator for the Middle East, told top Israeli officials in recent weeks that the U.S. agreed with Israel's broad strategy to shift its military focus to the north against Hizbullah in order to convince the group to engage in diplomatic talks to end the conflict. Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon said, "We don't always ask for permission for everything we do," adding that the U.S. "would like to see a diplomatic solution, which we are not against." Some in the administration say that what looks like a rift is just the U.S. pursuing multiple routes at once. "Both things can be true - the U.S. can want diplomacy and support Israel's larger goals against Hizbullah," a senior U.S. official said. Behind the scenes, Hochstein, McGurk and other top U.S. national security officials are describing Israel's Lebanon operations as a history-defining moment - one that could reshape the Middle East for the better for years to come. Most of the top U.S. officials convening Monday at the White House agreed that the conflict could offer an opportunity to reduce Iran's influence in Lebanon and the region. The Biden administration wants to support Israel's actions against a U.S.-designated terrorist group that has killed Americans and threatens the region. But it is not completely comfortable endorsing Israel's campaign into Lebanese territory.
2024-10-01 00:00:00
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