Top Biden-Harris administration officials secretly agree with Israel’s plans to combat Hezbollah, even if the administration publicly says otherwise, Politico reported on Tuesday.
Israel has dealt significant blows to Hezbollah in recent weeks, most recently starting a ground operation against the terrorist group in Lebanon on Monday. Though the Biden-Harris administration has openly distanced itself from Israel’s military operations against Hezbollah and has repeatedly called for a ceasefire, officials have privately told Israeli officials that they are making the right move, according to sources who spoke anonymously to Politico.
Israeli officials had told top Biden officials, including Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk, in various calls in September their broad plan to shift their focus toward Hezbollah, though they offered few specific details, according to various officials who spoke to Politico. McGurk and Hochstein told their Israeli counterparts that they agreed the plan — which is ultimately to force Hezbollah into diplomatic talks through escalatory means — could work, given the timing and the nature of the situation on the ground in the region.
The Israeli military published footage of the 98th Division preparing to enter Lebanon to push Hezbollah away from the border. pic.twitter.com/aBDJBpZQwY
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) October 1, 2024
That’s a far cry, however, from what Biden and the administration say publicly.
“I’m comfortable with them stopping,” Biden told reporters on Monday of Israel’s operations against Hezbollah. “We should have a ceasefire now.”
The chances of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah — or between Israel and Hamas — are highly unlikely at the present moment. While a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could resolve tensions with Hezbollah, the Biden-Harris administration notes that one is unlikely — so an operation against the Lebanese terrorist group could be the right move in part because it could separate the problem from Hamas, Politico reported.
But Biden-Harris officials also urged caution to their Israeli counterparts, warning that if a ground operation goes too far, it could spark a regional war, the sources told Politico. The officials also said they believe the endgame to the conflict could only be reached through diplomatic means.
When asked by Politico about the private comments, Biden-Harris and Israeli officials didn’t offer any details or confirmation of their thoughts
“We don’t always ask for permission for everything we do,” an Israeli official told Politico, referring to Israel’s new operations against Hezbollah. “I think what they say publicly reflects the goal that they would like to see a diplomatic solution, which we are not against.”
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