Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempted to soothe tensions with the United States after he surprised the Biden administration by not agreeing immediately to its ceasefire proposal for a 21-day lull in the year-long constrained IDF-Hezbollah war along Israel’s northern border.
“Israel appreciates the US efforts in this regard because the US role is indispensable in advancing stability and security in the region,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in an unusual statement put out first in English.
It spoke up after US National Security Adviser John Kirby said “We wouldn't have issued [that proposal] when and how we did if it wasn't supported by the conversations that we are having with top Israeli officials yesterday and those conversations continue today.”
Both he and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said they had issued the statement after conversations and consultations with Israeli officials.
The Prime Minister’s Office said that “earlier this week, the United States shared with Israel its intention to put forward, together with other international and regional partners, a ceasefire proposal in Lebanon.
“Israel shares the aims of the US-led initiative of enabling people along our northern border to return safely and securely to their homes,” It said.
“Our teams met (Thursday, Sept. 26) to discuss the US initiative and how we can advance the shared goal of returning people safely to their homes. We will continue those discussions in the coming days,” the Prime Minister’s office said.
Among the conversations was one held by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in New York on the sidelines of the high-level portion of the opening session of the 79th United Nations General Assembly.
Northern residents must. be able to return home
Israel has insisted that the more than 60,000 Israeli residents unable to live in their border communities for the last year must be able to return home safely. To meet that objective, Israel, in the last two weeks, has ratcheted up its military activity against Hezbollah in an effort to push the Iranian proxy group out of the area of southern Lebanon by its border and back to the Litani River.
Israel's military campaign against Hezbollah Lebanon, including targeted strikes in Beirut, the country’s capital, has sparked international condemnation, including from allies who oppose Hezbollah’s presence in Lebanon altogether.
The United States issued its proposal together with France, with the support of ten other ally countries.
Blinken told Dermer that “a diplomatic settlement” would “allow civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes” underscoring “that further escalation of the conflict will only make that objective more difficult,” according to the State Department.
The two men also discussed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, with Blinken telling Dermer that “all parties must make the difficult decisions necessary to reach an agreement.”
They also spoke of ways to improve humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.