The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) criticized those calling for a ceasefire amid the war in Gaza, saying that no one spoke out until Israel began reciprocating the attacks.
IDF Spokesman Maj. Doron Spielman hit back against frustration it has received from the White House, which has repeatedly encouraged Israel to not retaliate against terrorist groups’, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, attacks. He said the U.S. should be demanding for Hezbollah to pull out of the war, rather than the other way around. Instead, the Biden Administration has criticized Israel for its counterattacks.
“For an entire year, Hezbollah has been firing rockets, over 9,000 rockets, missiles, and killer drones, and no one talked about a ceasefire,” Spielman said. “Now that Israel’s actually taking the assertion to try to protect its civilians, we’re calling for a ceasefire.”
CNN co-host Jim Sciutto naturally defended the White House’s actions, saying that the Biden Administration is concerned there will be a more significant conflict in the Middle East.
“Did Israel carry out this attack over U.S. objections?” Sciutto asked.
Spielman explained that Israel attacked Hezbollah to defend itself and its citizens despite what the United States thought was best.
“Israel clearly felt that Nasrallah is a major target,” he said. “We work very closely with the United States. They’re our greatest ally, but Israel, at the end of the day, has independence to try to fulfill its military objectives in order to protect its own people.”
However, Sciutto pushed back, claiming that the U.S. has been frustrated by Israel’s relationship with the White House and with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the U.S. invests diplomatic and other capital into the Jewish state. He claimed Netanyahu has not been “returning the favor in terms of getting a ceasefire and hostage release deal across the finish line in Gaza.”
Spielman stood his ground, saying that Israel has been threatened on seven different fronts and attacked by more than three terrorist groups. He said Israel must fight back and protect its land regardless of what other leaders believe, saying that they are open to a ceasefire, but they won’t stop defending itself from attacks in the meantime.