Reuters, The Independent, Ap and Europa Press
The newspaper La Jornada
Tuesday, July 30, 2024, p. 23
Washington. The United States is engaged in a diplomatic campaign to deter Israel from attacking the Lebanese capital Beirut over the deadly rocket attack in Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights at the weekend, five people with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday, including Lebanese and Iranian officials, as well as diplomats from the Middle East and Europe, Reuters reported.
Lebanese parliamentary deputy speaker Elias Bou Saab, who said he had been in contact with US mediator Amos Hochstein since Saturday’s offensive, told Reuters that Israel could avoid the threat of a major escalation if it preserved the capital and its surroundings.
If they avoid civilians, Beirut and its suburbs, then their attack could be well calculated.he explained.
The US State Department stressed that it would not comment on the details of the diplomatic talks, although it continues to seek a long-lasting solution to end all cross-border fires.
Our support for Israel’s security is unwavering and unwavering against all Iranian-backed threats, including Hezbollah.a spokesman told the British news agency.
Some Israeli officials, meanwhile, sought to downplay their reaction to the attack, saying Israel wants to hurt Hezbollah but not drag the Middle East into all-out war.
The estimate is that the response will not lead to a total war.a diplomatic source told Reuters, adding that That would not be in our interest at this time..
Asked about the possibility of an escalation in the conflict, British Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said: We know that there is this other situation in northern Israel between Hezbollah and Israel, and that it has the potential to be a much more serious situation than even what we have been seeing unfold in Gaza for the last 10 months..
Cool heads expected
He added: We will always defend Israel’s right to defend itself, but we hope that in this situation cooler and calmer heads will prevail and we will not see a full-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah..
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday vowed strong retaliation against Hezbollah, which he blames for the attack in Majdal Shams, amid intense efforts to prevent a spiral into a regional war.
Israel killed at least two Hezbollah fighters in a drone strike yesterday, in what was believed to be the first cross-border attack since a rocket attack that killed 12 children on a soccer field in the Golan Heights last Saturday.
Fearing an escalation of the war, Lebanon is on alert, while several airlines have suspended their flights, while the president of Iran, Masud Pezeshkian, warned Israel that if it attacks Lebanon it will commit a serious mistake which will have consequences.
