Top officials in the Biden-Harris administration reportedly align with Israel’s strategies against Hezbollah, despite public statements to the contrary, according to a report from Politico on Tuesday.
In recent weeks, Israel has inflicted significant damage on Hezbollah, including the launch of a ground operation in Lebanon on Monday. While the Biden-Harris administration has publicly distanced itself from Israel’s military actions and consistently called for a ceasefire, some officials have privately communicated their support to Israeli counterparts, as per anonymous sources cited by Politico.
Israeli leaders, including Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk, briefed senior Biden officials in September on their plans to refocus efforts on Hezbollah, although specific details were limited. McGurk and Hochstein expressed their belief that the strategy—aimed at pushing Hezbollah toward diplomatic negotiations through increased pressure—could be effective given the current regional dynamics.
This perspective starkly contrasts with the public statements made by President Biden and his administration.
“I’m comfortable with them stopping,” Biden told reporters on Monday of Israel’s operations against Hezbollah. “We should have a ceasefire now.”
A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, or between Israel and Hamas, seems highly unlikely at this time. While a ceasefire with Hamas could help ease tensions with Hezbollah, the Biden-Harris administration acknowledges that this is improbable. As a result, military action against Hezbollah may be justified, as it could help separate the issues from Hamas, according to Politico.
However, Biden-Harris officials also advised their Israeli counterparts to proceed with caution, warning that an extensive ground operation could trigger a regional conflict. They emphasized that a resolution to the conflict would ultimately require diplomatic efforts.
When Politico inquired about these private discussions, officials from both the Biden-Harris administration and Israel did not provide further details or confirmation.
“We don’t always ask for permission for everything we do,” an Israeli official told Politico, referring to Israel’s new operations against Hezbollah. “I think what they say publicly reflects the goal that they would like to see a diplomatic solution, which we are not against.”
