US lauds Israeli efforts to reduce civilian harm in Gaza after Biden’s ‘indiscriminate bombing’ comment

US National Security Advisor Sullivan set to visit Israel amid mounting disagreements

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U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby lauded Israel’s efforts to reduce harm to Palestinian civilians during the warfare in the Gaza Strip, suggesting that Israel may have even taken steps further than the United States would have in a similar situation.

Noting the new digital map the IDF developed to pinpoint areas where Gazan civilians should evacuate, Kirby said: “That’s basically telegraphing your punches. There are very few modern militaries in the world that would do that. I don’t know that we would do that.”

During the press briefing on Wednesday, Kirby was asked if Israel had adjusted its methods of warfare according to suggestions from Washington.

White House NSC spokesperson John Kirby: Israel is taking steps to protect civilians that even the US might not have. pic.twitter.com/8gkrheRFjc
— Eli Kowaz (@elikowaz) December 14, 2023

Kirby replied, “They have been receptive… For instance, their movement into North Gaza was smaller than originally planned… We sent over some military officers who had experience in Mosul, Fallujah… and we believe that the Israelis took those lessons learned onboard.”

The American spokesman's comments during the briefing seemed to soften the impact of U.S. President Joe Biden’s statement the day before when he said that “Israel is starting to lose support because of indiscriminate bombing.”

Biden also expressed his concern about Israel's current conservative coalition government that opposes a two-state solution and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s retort about the future of the coastal enclave: “Gaza will be neither Hamastan nor Fatahstan.”

Top Biden spokesman John Kirby denies he's walking back Biden's "indiscriminate" bombing comment yesterday, despite Kirby's repeated efforts to walk Biden's comment back pic.twitter.com/iSYM1fe8pc
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 13, 2023

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is set to arrive in Israel on Thursday to lead the latest round of high-level discussions between the two countries about the intensity of the fighting in Gaza, and plans for the day after. Gen. Charles Q. Brown, U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will arrive in Israel on Friday, while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is scheduled to visit next week.

On Thursday, Sullivan is scheduled to meet with members of Israel’s War Cabinet to discuss several disputed issues, Israeli Channel 13 news reported. The issues include the ongoing ground operation in Gaza, an increase in humanitarian aid and the question of who will control the Gaza Strip after the war. The U.S. diplomat allegedly wants to hear directly from Israel's leadership about how they feel the war is going and if the military goals are being achieved, according to Kan News.

Another issue that has given rise to controversy between Washington and Jerusalem is the effort to find a diplomatic solution for Israel's conflict with the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon.

After several reports in Arabic news outlets that U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein presented Lebanese officials with a plan to resolve the conflict, U.S. officials denied that such a plan had been suggested.

Reactions in Israel were overwhelmingly negative as, according to the reports, the plan would involve numerous territorial concessions in exchange for Hezbollah implementing the already existing UN Resolution 1701, which the terror group has largely ignored until now.

Despite publicly supporting Israel in the war against Hamas, the Biden administration has come under internal pressure from young voters and progressives who demand the U.S. call for a ceasefire.

Leaders of the Democrat party’s left-wing even suggested that Biden’s policy endangers his campaign for re-election next November, and a group of staff members held a vigil for Gaza and called for a ceasefire outside the White House on Wednesday, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In another sign of continuing support for Israel, during the press briefing, Kirby visibly wore a dog tag inscribed with the words “Bring them home now,” which he was given the day before by the family of an American-Israeli hostage still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

Biden’s comments, which angered many Israelis, “reflected the reality of global opinion, which also matters,” Kirby said.

“Our support for Israel is not diminished, but we have had concerns and we have expressed those concerns about the prosecution of this military campaign, even while acknowledging that it is Hamas that started this and that it’s Hamas that is continuing it.”