US State Department Regional Spokesperson: No Link Between Border Negotiations and Situation with Israel

The regional spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, Sam Werberg, stated that "the United States has serious concerns about the escalations between Lebanon and Israel along the Blue Line." In an interview with LBCI, he said, "We hold Hezbollah responsible for the escalation, and Lebanon as a state is not a party to this war; we do not want to see an escalation by Hezbollah or any other party." He added, "Hezbollah's rockets lead to escalation in the region." Werberg questioned, "Why is Hezbollah, funded and supported by Iran, trying to put the Lebanese people at risk, just as Hamas did with the Palestinian people?" He confirmed that "there is nothing new in the visit of Hochstein, and there is no link between the border negotiations and the situation with Israel; border demarcation will provide economic benefits to the Lebanese people." He stated, "We will engage in discussions with all parties to assess the situation in the region, release hostages, and allow aid to enter."