‘Netanyahu expanding genocidal campaign to Lebanon’
US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib of Michigan says the Biden-Harris administration continues to allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government to “operate with impunity as they carry out war crimes”.
“After facing no red line in Gaza, in an attempt to remain in power, Netanyahu is now expanding his genocidal campaign to Lebanon, using the same tactics the Biden-Harris administration has endorsed,” she said.
Tlaib represents the Detroit suburbs of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights – home to one of the largest Lebanese communities in the United States.
“The same US weapons being used to kill innocent civilians in Gaza have already claimed the lives of over 500 people in Lebanon, including over 50 children, and have injured thousands more civilians,” she said in a statement.
“Deploying more US troops and sending more US bombs will only lead to more suffering and carnage. The Biden-Harris administration is capable of stopping the bloodshed. President Biden must implement an immediate arms embargo to end the slaughter and de-escalate the risk of a wider regional war.”
Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in the US Congress, at a Gaza ceasefire rally in September
Blinken says US working to avoid full-blown war on Lebanon
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the risk to the Middle East is “acute” and Washington and its allies are trying to avoid an all-out conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
“With regard to Lebanon, we’ve been working tirelessly with partners to avoid a full-blown war and to move to a diplomatic process that would allow Israelis and Lebanese alike to go back to their homes,” Blinken said at the start of a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in New York City.
“Risk of escalation in the region is acute. The best answer is diplomacy, and our coordinated efforts are vital to preventing further escalation.”
The United States has been slammed for not putting an end to the war on Gaza, now approaching its one-year mark, which critics say has enabled Israel to carry out attacks on Lebanon.
By now 'Blinken says' should be replaced with 'Blinken lies'. The only thing he's doing is telling everyone not to defend themselves against Israel.
Israel is repeating its Gaza assault in Lebanon. Why?
Because Israel needs a quick end and thinks this will work, said Yousef Munayyer from the Arab Center Washington DC.
“And so they’re using the same sort of tactics that they used in Gaza,” Munayyer said. “This is part of an Israeli strategy aimed at bringing great pressure on Hezbollah.”
He said Israel hopes to “get out of the situation without a ground invasion, without a long drawn-out battle” – and to avoid getting bogged down in Lebanon just as it has in Gaza.
Trying the same thing over and over, expecting different results. That's Israel in a nutshell.
More from Israel’s army chief on possible Lebanon invasion
A statement provided more comments from army chief Herzi Halevi on Israel’s plan against Hezbollah.
“Hezbollah today expanded its [range] of fire. Later today, it will receive a very strong response … We are not stopping. We will keep attacking and harming them everywhere,” Halevi told a tank unit along the border with Lebanon.
“Your entry there with force … will show [Hezbollah] what it is like to meet a professional combat force. You are coming in much stronger than them, much more experienced than them. Go in, destroy the enemy there, and go destroy the infrastructure.
“These are the things that will allow us to safely repatriate the residents of the north later.”
Professional combat force? It's a bunch of reservists with expensive toys and little discipline. Unless the IDF has been holding back the professionals for the last 11 months, this sounds delusional. But I guess they have experience harassing unarmed Palestinians in the West Bank...
