cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/20919616
Senior White House figures privately told Israel that the U.S. would support its decision to ramp up military pressure against Hezbollah — even as the Biden administration publicly urged the Israeli government in recent weeks to curtail its strikes, according to American and Israeli officials.
Not everyone in the administration was on board with Israel’s shift, despite support inside the White House, the officials said. The decision to focus on Hezbollah sparked division within the U.S. government, drawing opposition from people inside the Pentagon, State Department and intelligence community who believed Israel’s move against the Iran-backed militia could drag American forces into yet another Middle East conflict.
Officials in the intelligence community, in briefings and talks with members of Congress last week, had said they were increasingly worried about the potential for a direct ground confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah. Similar conversations were occurring in the State Department, where officials were concerned about the mounting civilian death toll in Lebanon.
The internal administration division seems to have dissipated somewhat in recent days, with top U.S. officials convening Monday at the White House with President Joe Biden to discuss the situation on the ground. Most agreed that the conflict, while fragile, could offer an opportunity to reduce Iran’s influence in Lebanon and the region.
Still, the White House is walking a fine line, U.S. and Israeli officials said. 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 comfortable endorsing Israel’s campaign completely — or publicly — because it is worried it will creep too far into Lebanese territory, instigating an all-out war, one of the U.S. officials said.
Israel is the closest thing to a modern democracy with progressive western style values in the entire region. Israel has a multitude of diverse cultures and ethnicities integrated into its society, and has a vastly better stance on equal rights for women, lgbt, and ethnic minorities, than any of its neighbors.
Probably also has something to do with all of the other countries in the area being client states of Russia/Iran/China.
Calling Israel aligned with Western values is a pretty big self own
They said it’s the closest in the region.
Which of its neighbors is more closely aligned with Western values?
No it’s accurate: apartheid settler colonial state genociding the native population and bringing war to the middle east.
Not something to flex about though on either side.
You name your favorite country, and I’ll tell you why they shouldn’t flex either.
Everyone makes mistakes, all mistakes are fine!
Oh ok nvm then carry on Israel
Perhaps they should have left Western style Manifest Destiny in the past.
Fun fact. It is illegal in most cases to marry outside your culture in Israel. Basically illegal to race mix, though more complicated than that. Also Israel does not recognize gay marriage. I don’t care if Lebanon has worse rules. We don’t call an apartheid state valid for being at 1900 Jim Crow standards .
