Is PM Netanyahu dragging the U.S. into war in Lebanon? [action needed]

The state of play is terrifying, Friend:

The death toll in Gaza is ticking closer to 40,000 and CNN reports parts of Gaza are “unrecognizable”.[1] The Israeli Prime Minister is undermining diplomacy and ignoring calls for a ceasefire from his citizens.[2] Hawks in Congress are all too eager to fuel the fire with more weapons.[3] And U.S. intelligence has confirmed that a large-scale confrontation between the Israeli military and Hezbollah is likely.[4]

A war in Lebanon would be catastrophic for people living in the region, but that’s not the only reason we’re worried: We’ve already seen deadly clashes between U.S. troops and Iranian government-backed militias, and if the Netanyahu government expands its war in Gaza to include a full-scale war against Hezbollah, the situation only gets worse.

The simple reality is that the tit-for-tat violence we’re seeing on the Israel-Lebanon border threatens a rapid — and incredibly dangerous — spiral into all-out war in the Middle East.

That’s why we’re sounding the alarm. As one of the Israeli government’s closest supporters, the Biden administration will play a key role in whatever happens next. The choice we face is one between de-escalation and more war, and the president needs to hear from you now.

Every bomb that lands, every building that crumbles, and every life cut short is a reminder that we need to go further to end the violence. Add your name to remind President Biden: No one wants war in Lebanon.

In the face of incredible suffering and death the past nine months, activists like you continue to throw roadblocks on and open up off ramps from the path to war.

It’s how we, together with you and other partners here and around the world, helped secure a ceasefire in November, pull the Biden administration away from war with Iran in March, and push powerful members of Congress like House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Gregory Meeks to hold back from signing off on new weapons sales in April. With violence increasing, we have more left to do.

Every day this cycle continues we see calls for increased militarism, attempts to curtail our civil rights, and more excuses for violence-first responses. That’s not all: Every day this cycle continues is another day people across the Middle East and beyond are unsafe. With so much on the line, we won’t stop until the U.S. government is using ALL its influence to secure a ceasefire that can end violence in Gaza and shift the focus away from war to diplomacy.

Ongoing exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah have already killed at least 97 people in Lebanon and 10 in Israel. Over 150,000 are displaced. A full-scale war would cause those numbers to skyrocket and increase the pace of attacks — including on U.S. troops already stationed in the region — from groups allied with Hezbollah like the Houthis in Yemen and Iranian government-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.

Friend, too many people fail to ask, “What happens after the bombs fall?” But not you. If you’re reading this you know the best time to avoid more unnecessary suffering and loss of life is today. With violence deepening across the Israel-Lebanon border, the time to speak out is now.

President Biden needs to hear a clear message of restraint from you — the pro-peace, anti-war majority — before the situation deteriorates further. Will you add your name and demand President Biden do all he can to avoid war in Lebanon?

Thank you for working for peace,
The Win Without War team

Sources

CNN, “Israel says its operation in Rafah is ‘limited’. Fighting there has left parts of it unrecognizable”

Democracy Now, “Israelis Protest Against Netanyahu, Demand Ceasefire and Hostage Deal”

NBC News, “House passes Republican-backed bill designed to pressure Biden on delivering weapons to Israel”

Politico, “US intel indicates war between Israel and Hezbollah inching closer”