US Must Act Urgently to Deescalate the Growing Middle East Conflict
Following the escalation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel over the weekend, marked by increasing fatalities and suggesting a further expansion of the war, Center for International Policy executive vice president Matt Duss issued the following statement:
“The Biden Administration was warned for months that failure to ensure Israel abides by its international law obligations, as well US law, in the Gaza war and linked conflicts could lead to dangerous escalation throughout the region. In the absence of any meaningful US response to its repeated violations of US red lines, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has continued to kill large numbers of civilians in Gaza, obstructed ceasefire efforts, and engaged in provocative strikes around the region.
“While Israel has the right and duty to defend itself from forces like Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran – all of which have engaged in outrageous and illegal terrorism against Israel and its citizens – Israel’s actions to counter such threats must adhere to the same international humanitarian law obligations binding all combatants.
“In the wake of Israel’s sabotage attack via hundreds of exploding electronic devices that killed civilians, including children, in addition to Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, Hezbollah and Israel are now engaged in an exchange of missile and bombing attacks that could easily spiral into an all-out war between them. The prospects for a broad ceasefire in Gaza and elsewhere are near rock bottom, while the potential for a regional conflict that imperils millions of civilians as well as US personnel in the Middle East is rising sharply.
“As President Biden and his foreign policy team head to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, they should prioritize working with attending world leaders to halt this escalation and prevent a catastrophic conflagration. Arresting this precipitous slide into an avoidable war will require the Biden administration to engage, directly or indirectly, with adversaries who can help constrain Hamas and Hezbollah. It will also require the administration to finally take necessary steps to rein in the Netanyahu government as it seeks to cling to power by deepening and prolonging conflicts that undermine the security of all in the region, as well as the United States.”
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