By The Jerusalem Post (World News) | Created at 2024-09-30 15:30:17 | Updated at 2024-09-30 21:26:03
6 hours ago
The US pushes diplomacy as Israel considers Lebanon ground operation following Nasrallah's assassination and rising regional tensions.
By TOVAH LAZAROFF SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 18:01 Updated: SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 18:02
US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken meets with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Kirya Military Headquarters in Tel Aviv, August 19, 2024.
(photo credit: David Azagury/US Embassy)
The US doubled down on diplomacy Monday as the IDF weighed ground campaign to destroy Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was facing fateful and historic days.
“Diplomacy remains the best and only path to achieving greater stability in the Middle East,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Washington, adding that "the United States remains committed to urgently driving these efforts.”
He acknowledged that the Israeli assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last Friday made “the region” and “the world safer.”
“Nasrallah was a brutal terrorist whose many victims included Americans, Israelis, civilians in Lebanon, civilians in Syria, and many others as well.
“During his leadership of Hezbollah, the group terrorized people across the region and prevented Lebanon from fully moving forward as a country,” Blinken said.
Still, he noted, “the United States will continue to work with our partners in the region and around the world to advance a diplomatic resolution that provides real security to Israel to Lebanon” and allows evacuated citizens on both sides of the border to return home. The US is also pushing forward with its efforts for a Gaza ceasefire deal and hostage deal, Blinken said.
His statements aligned with those issued by the Biden administration in the last days, as they acknowledged the important IDF achievements against Hezbollah while still asking it to prioritize diplomacy.
The security cabinet
The security cabinet was slated to meet later Monday, as the IDF weighted a ground operation in southern Lebanon.
Netanyahu told his government at its weekly meeting that “we are in fateful days. These are days of historic achievements, but also days of great challenges that are still ahead of us.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot visited Lebanon on Monday, calling on Israel not to invade southern Lebanon and urging Hezbollah to agree to a ceasefire.
