Head of Pentagon in Israel during protests and massacres of Israeli army
2023.03.09 12:31
Head of Pentagon in Israel during protests and massacres of Israeli army
By Kristina Sobol
Budrigannews.com – Pentagon boss Lloyd Austin advised Israeli pioneers on Thursday to do whatever it may take to lessen strains in the involved West Bank, in the midst of developing concern in Washington that the circumstance could occupy the partners from their work to counter Iran.
Austin, who is touring a region, arrived at Ben Gurion Airport for a visit that had been hurriedly rescheduled due to an increase in street protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to overhaul the judiciary. Austin was on a tour of the region.
Three Islamic Jihad gunmen were killed by Israeli forces just hours earlier in the West Bank, one of the territories where there has been simmering violence amid the Palestinians’ long-stalled goal of becoming a state.
After meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Austin told reporters, “The United States (remains) firmly opposed to any acts that could trigger more insecurity, including settlement expansion and inflammatory rhetoric.”
Austin stated, “We’re especially disturbed by violence by settlers against Palestinians,” and he added that his conversations were open and honest.
Austin called for “immediate steps to de-escalate violence and work toward a just and lasting peace,” according to a Pentagon readout of their earlier meeting at the airport.
Israel’s closest ally, the United States, is increasingly concerned about Iranian military activities and nuclear program in the region.
A senior U.S. defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter, stated, “Secretary Austin is perfectly capable of having conversations about both issues (the West Bank and Iran).”
However, the official stated that Israel’s focus on the West Bank “detracts from our ability to focus on what the strategic threat is right now, which is Iran’s dangerous nuclear advances and continuing regional and global aggression.”
Austin was originally scheduled to arrive on Wednesday and spend the night in Israel’s Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv. However, due to concern regarding traffic disruptions caused by the anti-Netanyahu protests, those plans were altered.
According to the U.S. official, “Austin is committed to Israel’s security, but one of the dominant ways in which we’ve been able to work together and strengthen that relationship is because we’re two democracies that share values,” the right to protest being one of those values.
The village of Huwara, where two brothers from a Jewish settlement were killed by a Palestinian gunman on February 26 sparked settlers’ retaliation riots, is one of the US West Bank flashpoints.
The rampage sparked outrage and condemnation across the globe, which grew when ultra-nationalist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is in charge of some aspects of the administration of the West Bank, said that Huwara should be “erased.”
Smotrich issued a partial retract later.
Before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish festival of Passover, there is no indication that the violence will abate.
More than 70 Palestinians, including militant fighters and civilians, have been killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of the year; In attacks that appeared to be unrelated, Palestinians have killed 13 Israelis and a Ukrainian woman during the same time.
The reform of the judiciary that Netanyahu has proposed would give his nationalist-religious coalition significant influence over the selection of judges and limit the Supreme Court’s ability to overturn executive orders or laws.
A shock for a nation whose melting pot military is meant to be apolitical, dozens of Israeli air force reservists said on Sunday that they would not show up for training in protest against Netanyahu’s judicial reforms.
