Biden urges deceleration as Israel attacks Lebanon | News of the United Nations

‘We are stronger together than alone,’ Biden tells the UN and reiterates continued support for Israel and Ukraine.

American President Joe Biden said he does not want to see a “total war” break out in Lebanon, a day after the Israeli army began a major bombing campaign that has killed hundreds of people across the country.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday, Biden said a diplomatic solution between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah is the only way forward.

He said: “Total war does not concern anyone.

For months, the US president has been facing requests that his administration will support Israel as it fights the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 41,400 Palestinians. Experts also warned Biden that the war in Gaza could lead to a wider conflict in the region.

But the Democrat — who did not seek re-election in November — remains supportive of the Israeli government, fueling criticism of him.

His speech came as the Ministry of Health in Lebanon said on Tuesday that 569 people died, including 50 children, and 1,835 were injured when Israel bombed different areas this week.

Israeli forces also continued to strike the Gaza Strip, killing at least 37 people throughout the day on Tuesday, according to the Palestinian Authority for Civil Defense.

During his speech at the UNGA, Biden reiterated his call for Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian group that rules Gaza, to agree to a cease-fire agreement that would guarantee the release of Israeli hostages held in Palestinian territory.

But critics say Biden’s failure to put pressure on Israel has allowed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to undermine efforts to end the ceasefire — and escalate Israeli military attacks in Lebanon.

Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, said that while Biden says he does not want to see a regional conflict break out, the US is “helping to escalate the war”.

“They continue to support the Israeli army unconditionally,” Bishara said.

“Netanyahu is leading this place to the brink, to disaster, and the United States is protecting him, protecting him, financing him and arming him.”

Support for Ukraine

Biden also used his speech to highlight his administration’s support for Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.

Washington has given Kyiv tens of billions of dollars in military and other aid since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.

“This is good news [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s campaign has failed in his primary campaign. “He is determined to destroy Ukraine, but Ukraine is still free,” said Biden.

“We cannot get tired, we cannot look away, and we will not stop supporting Ukraine, until Ukraine wins a just, lasting peace.”

But US aid to Ukraine could be in doubt if former President Donald Trump – who has said he plans to withdraw aid – defeats Vice President Kamala Harris in the November US presidential election.

Trump said on Tuesday that the US needs to get out of the war in Ukraine and that Biden and Harris have no plans to do so.

“Biden and Kamala got us into this war in Ukraine and now they can’t get us out. They will not be able to take us out,” he said in his speech in the USA state of Georgia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pressing the Biden administration to loosen restrictions on the use of Western-supplied long-range ballistic missiles so Ukrainian forces can strike inside Russia, disrupting supply lines.

Biden and Harris are scheduled to hold separate meetings Thursday with Zelenskyy in Washington, DC, where the Ukrainian leader is also scheduled to meet with Democratic and Republican members of Congress.