In meetings in Israel, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin conveyed to Israeli leaders that it’s important to observe international rules of warfare.

As Israel girds for a fearsome ground assault into Gaza, senior Biden administration officials are warning their Israeli counterparts to show restraint and avoid mass civilian casualties and a humanitarian disaster that could turn world opinion against the Jewish state, according to two current and one former U.S. official.

  • TheBananaKing@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Yes, becasue it’s the fallout from bad PR that matters, not, you know, mass civilian casualties and a humanitarian disaster.

    Fuck I hate people rn.

    • Shiggles
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      1 year ago

      Well, clearly the second part doesn’t bother them, so I can understand appealing to the psychopaths instead.

  • TGhost [She/Her]@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Privately, because outloud, would appears as antisemitic, for Zionists and all the voices on their sides

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
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    1 year ago

    Nope. It needs to be said loudly, publicly, repeatedly. Until then, we are enablers of atrocities.

    • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Biden said it publicly, too:

      We uphold the laws of war — the law of war. It matters. There’s a difference.

      And repeated something similar today, when asked about retaliation against Hamas:

      Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don’t represent all the Palestinian people … there needs to be a Palestinian Authority. There needs to be a path to a Palestinian state … It would be a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again.

  • fruitleatherpostcard@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Neten-yahoo is a fucking criminal goon and beyond ‘telling’. Much like a few US politicians whose name sounds a lot like. “Trump”.

  • Echo71Niner@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    More fucking lies.

    Leaked internal emails reveal that the U.S. State Department is discouraging diplomats from advocating for Israeli “de-escalation” in the ongoing conflict with Gaza. The emails instruct officials not to use phrases like “de-escalation/ceasefire,” “end to violence/bloodshed,” and “restoring calm” in their public statements, indicating the Biden administration’s reluctance to push for Israeli restraint. Israel recently ordered over a million residents of northern Gaza to evacuate, and the UN warned of devastating humanitarian consequences. U.S. officials have avoided discussing a ceasefire, focusing on supporting Israel’s response to Hamas attacks. Some lawmakers are urging stronger humanitarian calls, but public pressure is delicate due to Israel’s significant losses and U.S. support. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is engaged in diplomatic efforts in the region, including visits to influential Arab states.

    https://www.huffpost.com/entry/state-department-internal-emails-gaza-israel_n_65296395e4b0a304ff6ff95d

    • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      State and Defense are on the same page, you just need to read between the lines.

      They want a targeted strike against Hamas leadership (i.e. not “de-escalation” or a “ceasefire” or an “end to bloodshed”) but they don’t want unnecessary civilian casualties. In other words less “Shock and Awe”, more “Seal Team Six”.

    • Ranvier@sopuli.xyz
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      1 year ago

      I don’t know the truth of the matter, these are internal things after all. But what you posted isn’t necessarily inconsistent with the article. It’s possible they were instructed not to say those things publicly, as your article says, but are privately pushing Israel to restrain themselves, as the above article says.

    • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      You’re talking about something different. Internal communications within the state department about what language to use is completely different from private communication return Israel.

      I mean this is pretty standard when it comes to interpersonal relationships even. If a friend does something questionable I’m likely going to avoid discussing it in public until I can talk to them in private about how bad the thing was.

    • dependencyInjection
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      1 year ago

      What exactly is a Biden defender?

      Do you believe people deserve carte Blanche defence at all times.

      Or can people do some things you agree with and other things you don’t?

    • NoneOfUrBusiness@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      As a wise man/woman once said around here:

      The US has two parties: One believes the US should keep supporting Israel’s genocide of Palestinians, another believes the US should support Israel’s genocide of Palestinians harder.

      There are no liberals when it comes to Israel in most of the world (props for Ireland for being the exception).

    • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Which part of “show restraint and don’t kill civilians when taking out the terrorists” strikes you as not “liberal”?

      You haven’t made it clear at all what you take issue with of telling someone to show restraint. Do you find the very act of retaliation against Hamas for their attack to be unacceptable or something?

    • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      According to the article, Biden said:

      “This was act of pure evil… Terrorists purposefully target civilians, kill them. We uphold the laws of war — the law of war. It matters. There’s a difference."

      All of these statements are very easy to defend.