A military “escalation” is not in Israel’s “interest,” warned White House spokesman John Kirby on Sunday, following days of high tension in the Middle East.
“We don’t believe that escalating this military conflict is in their interest,” he said on ABC television, assuring that the United States shared this sentiment “directly” with its “Israeli counterparts.”
The spokesman for the US executive said there was still room for a diplomatic solution to the conflict. “That’s what we’re working on,” he stated, without giving further details.
Tensions had risen sharply in recent days, with dozens of deaths and thousands of injuries in Lebanon caused by a series of deadly explosions blamed on Israel, which targeted the pagers and then the walkie-talkies of Hezbollah members on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Friday, an aerial strike hit the southern suburb of Beirut, killing at least 50 people, including Ibrahim Aqil, a senior military commander in the pro-Iranian group.
Saturday night was marked by an intense crossfire between Hezbollah and the Israeli army.
This escalation “is certainly not in the interests of all those people whom Prime Minister Netanyahu says he wants to send home,” the National Security Council spokesman warned.
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On his end, British diplomatic chief David Lammy on Sunday called for “an immediate ceasefire” between Israel and Hezbollah, in the face of a “worrying escalation” of the situation.
“In recent days we have seen a worrying escalation between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah,” David Lammy told the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. “Our message to all sides is clear: we need an immediate ceasefire (…) in order to reach a political settlement,” added the British Foreign Secretary.
In addition, the European Union is “extremely concerned” by the escalation in Lebanon and is calling for an “urgent” ceasefire, EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell said on Sunday.
“The European Union is extremely concerned by the escalation in Lebanon following Friday’s attacks in Beirut,” Mr. Borrell stressed in a statement, calling for a “ceasefire along the Blue Line, as in Gaza.” The Blue Line has separated Lebanon’s armed forces from Israel’s since 2000.
“Civilians are paying a high price” as “heavy fighting” continued on Sunday in both Israel and Lebanon, the European official added.
These civilians “will once again be those who suffer most in a total war that must be avoided, including through further intense diplomatic efforts,” he concluded.
Moreover, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed alarm on Sunday that Lebanon could become “another Gaza” as the armed conflict between Israel and the Shiite organization intensifies.
“What worries me (is) the possibility of Lebanon turning (into) another Gaza,” said the UN chief on CNN, as the UN General Assembly week opens in New York.
With AFP
