Statement on Major Israeli Escalation in Lebanon

Center for International Policy (CIP) executive vice president Matt Duss issued the following statement regarding Israel’s recent escalation in Lebanon, including the current ground offensive:

“The Israeli government’s decision to dramatically escalate its attacks in Lebanon is a dangerous gamble that risks the lives of countless Lebanese, Israeli, Palestinian and other civilians across the region.

“Israel has the right to defend itself from Hezbollah and other threats, but we note that this escalation comes after months of Prime Minister Netanyahu rejecting U.S. efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. As we know from the very recent past, the potential for protracted, deadly escalation is significant. Israel has been caught in a costly quagmire in Lebanon before – one that ultimately did not defeat Hezbollah or provide lasting security on its northern border. An Israeli military assault on Lebanon that employs the same methods or maximalist objectives as the nearly year-old war in Gaza threatens to cause even more devastation and death, with civilians bearing the brunt of the carnage.

“The Biden Administration is right to seek deescalation, but must realize that months of failure to impose meaningful consequences on Netanyahu for grave international humanitarian law violations and obstructing a ceasefire in Gaza has contributed to the disregard for U.S. and international concerns with which Israel has now acted in Lebanon. The ability of the United States to prevent an all-out war that could draw in the U.S. and Iran and imperil millions in the region, including American personnel, rests on whether President Biden is finally willing to take the steps necessary – including suspending offensive weapons deliveries – to prevent a horrific conflagration.”

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