After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the war cabinet in Tel Aviv, I saw him lock his attention on the TV cameras and tell the nation, “You are not alone.” He did, however, caution its leaders not to make the same mistakes that a “enraged” America did in the wake of 9/11.
President Biden led a global roll call of leaders this September at the UN in New York, asking for moderation between Israel and Hezbollah. Netanyahu answered. He declared that Israel’s long arm might reach anyplace in the area.
Ninety minutes later, Israeli pilots attacked structures in southern Beirut with “bunker buster” bombs provided by the United States. Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, died in the attack. One of the biggest turning points of the year since Hamas launched its onslaught on Israel on October 7th was this.
Biden’s diplomacy was being destroyed by an Israeli raid that used weapons that were supplied by the United States.
I traveled in the press pool with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on travels back to the Middle East, where I worked for seven years until last December, and spent the better part of a year observing US diplomacy up close.
