Now the US is also increasing pressure on the Israeli military to do more to protect the civilian population. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin emphasized on Saturday that this is not only a moral responsibility, but also a strategic necessity in the fight against Hamas.
Because urban wars can only be won if the population is not driven into the arms of the enemy, Austin said on the sidelines of a conference in Simi Valley, California. Because in this way you “replace a tactical victory with a strategic defeat”. In this context, the Pentagon chief explained that he was speaking from experience: he had commanded US troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
‘Every state has an obligation to protect citizens’
The 70-year-old stressed that he had also personally urged Israeli leaders to avoid civilian casualties, refrain from irresponsible rhetoric, prevent settler violence in the West Bank and dramatically expand access to humanitarian aid. At the same time, he made clear: “Every state has a duty to respond to a terrorist attack such as the Hamas attack on Israel. “But every state also has a duty to protect civilians during an armed conflict.”
There is increasing criticism of Israel’s military action against Hamas in the Gaza Strip due to the high number of civilian casualties among the Palestinian civilian population. The US government, which had completely refrained from providing public advice in the early weeks of the war and focused on unconditional support for Israel, has recently increasingly issued words of warning to the Israeli leadership regarding the protection of citizens.
Source: Krone
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