Austin: US support for Israel 'unshakeable'
Channel: Defense Now
Date: 2023-12-18

Austin: US support for Israel 'unshakeable'
The US defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, said he and Yoav Gallant have been speaking “almost daily” by phone and that it was good to see his Israeli counterpart in person.
Scheduled from Dec 18 2023 9:30 AM EST to Dec 18 2023 11:20 AM EST

Speaking at a press conference during his fourth visit to Israel since the 7 October Hamas attacks, Austin said:

I know that Israel has been profoundly changed from where you were on October 6. So I’m here with a clear message: American support for Israel security is unshakeable. Israel is not alone.

He said Israel “has every right” to defend itself against Hamas, who he describes as a “fanatical terrorist group whose stated purpose is to murder Jews and eradicate the Jewish state”. He said:

Hamas is still holding hostages, including American citizens. Hamas embeds itself and hides itself behind innocent Palestinian civilians. Hamas does not speak for the Palestinian people.

The US will continue to push “relentlessly” for the safe return of hostages in Gaza and to help Israel in its efforts to bring them home, Austin said, adding that the issue remained a “top priority” for the US and President Joe Biden.

US secretary of defense Lloyd Austin said protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza “is both a moral duty and a strategic imperative”.

The US will continue to “urge the protection of civilians” and to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, he said at a press conference in Tel Aviv.

The US is also working to stabilise the region and to ensure that the conflict “does not escalate beyond Gaza”, he said, adding that the US “urgently” calls on Iran to “take steps to deescalate”.

Austin said that during his meetings today that he discussed “the need to take urgent action to stabilise the West Bank”, adding that attacks by extremist settlers against Palestinians must stop and those committing the violence must be held accountable. He said:

We know that the past 72 days have been some of the most painful days in Israel’s history. But it would compound this tragedy if all that was waiting for the Israeli people and your Palestinian neighbours at the end of this awful war, was more insecurity, fury and despair.

Austin: US support for Israel 'unshakeable'
The US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, said he and Yoav Gallant have been speaking “almost daily” by phone and that it was good to see his Israeli counterpart in person.

Speaking at a press conference during his fourth visit in Israel since the 7 October Hamas attacks, Austin said:

I know that Israel has been profoundly changed from where you were on October 6. So, I’m here with a clear message: American support for Israel security is unshakable. Israel is not alone.

He said Israel “has every right” to defend itself against Hamas, who he describes as a “fanatical terrorist group whose stated purpose is to murder Jews and eradicate the Jewish state”. He said:

Hamas is still holding hostages, including American citizens. Hamas embeds itself and hides itself behind innocent Palestinian civilians. Hamas does not speak for the Palestinian people.

The US will continue to push “relentlessly” for the safe return of hostages in Gaza and to help Israel in its efforts to bring them home, Austin said, adding that the issue remained a “top priority” for the US and President Joe Biden.

Defense Now - December 2023
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe95fdmDwNk_cmE0IfvFhpNflkx2wP9hk

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, brief the news media, in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Austin, Israeli Defense Minister Hold Press Briefing
ISRAEL
12.18.2023

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant brief the news media in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Film Credits: Defense.gov

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