Austin Urges Israelis to De-escalate Tensions in the West Bank

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called on Israeli officials today, Thursday, to take steps to reduce tensions in the West Bank amid growing concerns in Washington that the current situation could divert allies from their efforts to counter Iran. Austin told reporters after his meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, "The United States still strongly opposes any actions that could lead to further insecurity, including settlement expansion and provocative rhetoric." He added, "We are very disturbed by violence from settlers against Palestinians," clarifying that his discussions were candid and direct. Austin met with Netanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport earlier for more than an hour. The Pentagon stated in a release about the meeting that Austin called for "immediate steps to stop the escalation of violence and work towards achieving a fair and lasting peace." The schedule for the American minister's meetings with Israeli officials was hastily rearranged due to the rising street protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to make changes to the judicial system.