As the Israeli bombing campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon intensified yesterday, the White House went on the air to continue to provide political cover for Israel’s genocide and resort to extreme violence. In an appearance on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” National Security Communications spokesman John Kirby claimed the White House believes a “diplomatic solution” is still possible. “We believe that there are better ways to try to get those Israeli citizens back in their homes up in the north, and to keep those that are there, there safely, than a war, than an escalation, then opening up a second front there at that border with Lebanon against Hezbollah,” Kirby said.
But Stephanopoulos pushed back, noting it seems like Netanyahu is not listening to the United States’s consistent pleas for de-escalation."Look, the prime minister can speak for himself and what policy he’s trying to pursue, what operations he’s trying to conduct. We’ll, of course, recognize that the tensions are much higher now than they were even just a few days ago. ... But all that does, George, is underscore for us how important it is to try to find a diplomatic solution,” he said.
Kirby reiterated that the U.S. was “not involved” in last week’s pager attacks, but refused to say much more than that, saying he would not “get into the details.”
