U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III conducts a joint press conference with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv, Israel, to discuss regional security, opportunities to expand military cooperation, and escalating violence in the West Bank, March 9, 2023. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)
By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Thursday urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take immediate steps to de-escalate the deadly cycle of violence between Israel and the Palestinians. The West Bank has seen a renewed wave of renewed violence that is the worst in decades. Just hours after the U.S. defense secretary arrived in Tel Aviv for meetings with top officials, Israeli forces killed three Palestinian fighters in a raid in northern West Bank. And last week, Israeli troops killed 11 Palestinians, and four civilians, and wounded more than 100 people during a raid on a city in the occupied West Bank. Defense Secretary Austin “emphasized the importance of implementing commitments made by Israeli and Palestinian senior officials in Aqaba, Jordan on February 26, and urged immediate steps to de-escalate violence and work towards a just and lasting peace”, according to a statement following his meeting with PM Netanyahu. Austin is on a tour of the Middle East where he has visited Jordan, Iraq and Egypt to reaffirm Washington’s “commitment to the bilateral relationship” among its allies and exchange views on shared regional and global security challenges.
U.S. “Especially Disturbed” By Israeli Settlers “Pogrom” Against Palestinians
Austi also met with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant. During a joint press conference following the meeting, Austin said the U.S. is “especially disturbed” by violence by settlers against Palestinians. Late last month, a group of Israeli settlers went on a violent rampage hours after a Palestinian gunman shot and killed two Israeli settlers in Hawara, the West Bank. The settlers violence resulted in the killing of one Palestinian, injuring of several hundreds of Palestinians and burning of houses and shops, causing the destruction of Palestinian property. The unprecedented, sadistic violence by the settlers prompted an Israeli general to describe it as a “pogrom”.
“… the United States also remains firmly opposed to any acts that could trigger more insecurity, including settlement expansion and inflammatory rhetoric. And we’re especially disturbed by violence by settlers against Palestinians. So we’ll continue to oppose actions that could push a two-state solution further out of reach. And we’ll work to build on the February 26th agreement in Jordan, including the commitment by the parties to de-escalate on the ground and to prevent further violence and to fully implement the terms of the Aqaba Communique.”
-U.S. Defense Secretary Austin
Israeli forces have killed more than 70 Palestinians, including fighters and civilians since January. In the same period, Palestinians have killed 13 Israelis. Neither PM Netanyahu nor his Defense Minister gave any serious talk about stopping the Israeli Defense Forces and settlers violence against Palestinians, but instead focused on Iran’s supposed nuclear threat to the country.
“Today, we find ourself at a critical point in time. In the coming period, we will need to make pressing and important decisions. Iran aims to gain nuclear weapons and threatened not only Israel, but the entire world. Mr. Secretary, it is our duty to take all measures necessary to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapon. In this matter, our capabilities and our cooperation have great meaning and power.”
-Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant
Palestinians Accuse Israeli Far-Right Government Of Inflaming Tensions in West Bank
Israeli police officers in Lod, Israel during escalation of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict 11 May 2021 (Wikipedia Commons)
Although Israel’s PM Netanyahu called on the settlers “not to take the law into their own hands,” some critics claimed it is his far-right policies that are encouraging violence among the settlers. Netanyahu has assembled the most far-right cabinet in Israel’s history, with crucial positions given to ultranationalists: Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is the new minister of national security who oversees the police, and Bezalel Smotrich, who has power over Israeli settlements in addition to his role as finance minister. Both are well known for inciting violence against Palestinians. Before the recent spate of violence, Palestinians feared Netanyahu’s hardline coalition would trample on democracy and enflame tensions in the West Bank.
