Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday claimed the Lebanon ceasefire was “holding” despite repeated Israeli attacks on south Lebanon.
At a press conference in Brussels, Blinken was asked if Israel had violated the ceasefire by bombing southern Lebanon but didn’t give a direct answer and pointed to a mechanism established by the US and France meant to uphold the truce.
“The ceasefire is holding, and we’re using the mechanism that was established when any concerns have arisen about any alleged or purported violations,” Blinken said.
As of Tuesday, Israeli strikes on south Lebanon have killed at least 15 people since the ceasefire was supposed to go into effect last Wednesday. Hezbollah has only fired two rockets, which it did on Monday as a “warning shot” in response to the Israeli violations. At that point, Israel had violated the ceasefire around 100 times, according to the UN’s peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
The reporter questioning Blinken noted media reports that the US has told Israel it believes the Israeli military is violating the ceasefire, but Blinken refused to say so publicly.
“I’m not going to respond to or get into any private diplomatic conversations that we’ve had. All I can tell you is the mechanism that we established with France to make sure that the ceasefire is effectively monitored and implemented is working,” Blinken said.
Israeli officials have justified their strikes by claiming Hezbollah’s presence and activity was a violation of the ceasefire. But under the deal, Hezbollah has 60 days to withdraw its fighters and heavy weapons north of the Litani River. During that time, Israeli forces are supposed to pull out of southern Lebanon.
The US has given Israel assurances that it could take military action in southern Lebanon if it deems Hezbollah is violating the deal, giving Israel significant freedom of action. The assurances were given in a letter separate from the agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon.
The US State Department said on Tuesday that Israel has the right to “defend itself” but refused to say if Lebanon had that same right.
I hope we never hear the name Blinken ever again after January.
He'll float from consulting gig to TV talking head gig for the rest of his days, in peace, sleeping like a baby, rolling in piles of money. That's how the US rewards mass murder.
Well funded Think tank and then back to govt.
Hopefully not, I don't want to see him.
Other than the obituaries.
You’re tough, wars. I’d rather a very public humiliation, condemnation and prison at a gitmo-type dungeon.
I'm good with that. For some reason electrified steel rods come to mind. And then the obituaries.
Amen…!
Utter nonsense. There never was a "ceasefire" – except on the Hezbollah side. Which, by the way, was stupid beyond belief. I still say Qassem should be removed as head of Hezbollah for that stupidity.
No one would have wanted Hezbollah to fight on more than the Palestinians of Gaza. The reality, however, is no one actor in the region is willing to go all the way because it can spell total defeat. Except Israel keeps pushing the envelope hoping to use America to crush its enemies. All this does is infuriate the Arab population which has the least to lose (since it's already been pulverized for a century) and the most to gain. America is clearly a waning empire and supporting Israel and continuing its policy in the ME could be what decisively unravels it in retrospect. Even domestically where few want to admit that supporting Israel has had real effects on both parties and the political system.
Dream on.
We swim in a sea of lies.
We’re drowning.
And bloody well exhausted, as well….
Lying in order not to drown…!
Drowning nonetheless.
Blinken is the most arrogant and ignorant US secretary of state Ever…!
It kind of remands me of "the border is secure" by what's-his-butt.
I dunno, I think Clinton's in that competition too.
Nope, not ignorant at all. He knows exactly what he's doing: telling brazen lies with zero consequence. Simply a disgusting excuse for a human being.
Yes he knows what’s going on but he is ignorant of his knowledge…!
Dictionary
Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more
verb
refuse to take notice of or acknowledge; disregard intentionally.
The usual mantra. Ignore Israeli actions as long as the other side doesn't respond. When the other side responds it quickly becomes the other side who is the aggressor .
Exactly.
The "ceasefire" is doing exactly what Blinken always intended. Israel continues killing, under cover of his lies and gaslighting, exactly as he intended.
Lying liar.
“The ceasefire is holding, and we’re using the mechanism that was established when any concerns have arisen about any alleged or purported violations,” Blinken said.
Translation: Israel can do whatever the fuck they want. It is literally part of the mechanism.
And there you go again with the swear words. Do you talk to your wife that way? Do you have a wife?
Why don't you refute what I said and stop worrying about how often I use F-bombs? And my personal life is none of your fucking business.