The White House says there has been no change in America’s support of Israel in response to the start of what has been described as a limited ground offensive in Lebanon despite President Joe Biden’s call for the Israeli government to consider “stopping” the operations and his suggestion that a ceasefire deal be implemented “now.”
Biden commented on the plans when he was questioned by reporters following remarks on Monday he delivered on the federal response to Hurricane Helene.
Asked whether he was aware of or comfortable with the Israeli plans, Biden replied: “I’m more aware than you might know, and I’m comfortable with them stopping.”
“We should have a ceasefire now,” he added.
Last week, the American and French governments announced that a deal had been reached for a 21-day ceasefire along the Israeli-Lebanese border.
In a joint statement, Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron said it was time for a deal “that ensures safety and security to enable civilians to return to their homes” rather than increase hostilities that could spark “a much broader conflict, and harm to civilians.”
“We therefore have worked together in recent days on a joint call for a temporary ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance to succeed and avoid further escalations across the border,” they added.
The Israeli government later disavowed the agreement and instead launched a series of airstrikes that have taken out the leadership ranks of Hezbollah, the militant group that has a significant presence along Lebanon’s southern border with Israel.
Later on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre appeared to walk back Biden’s remarks to reporters during her daily press briefing.
She said she would not speak to any private diplomatic conversations between Washington and the Israeli government — but said the US understands that the “strategic purpose” of Israel’s current operations in Lebanon is “to make sure that Hezbollah cannot maintain the capacity to attack Israeli communities from the immediate opposite border.”
Pressed further on whether the administration supports the Israeli offensive, Jean-Pierre replied that Israel “has a right to defend itself against Hezbollah” and “against Iran backed groups.”
But she later added that the US does want to see “a ceasefire that would give us the space, as we have been saying, of diplomacy, and enable citizens right to go back to their homes on both sides, and ultimately, a diplomatic resolution.”
“We’re going to certainly continue to have those conversations with Israelis and others on how to make that happen,” she said.