'We Want To See These Attacks From Hezbollah End': Karine Jean-Pierre Reacts To Middle East Strife

2 months ago

At a White House press briefing on Tuesday, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about Israel and Hezbollah.

Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:

https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript

Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com

Transcript

00:00Thank you, Karine.

00:01Two questions. The first is on those IDF strikes.

00:04I know that you said that the strikes just happened,

00:06so you can't comment specifically on those.

00:08But broader, on the trajectory of this conflict,

00:11it's been the goal of the U.S.

00:12not to have the war widened since October 7th.

00:15And President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu

00:17just sat down together last week.

00:20Was the President and his team surprised

00:24by what's happened in recent days?

00:26So, again, I'm not going to get into immediate comment

00:29on the IDF strike,

00:31so that's not something I'm going to do at this time.

00:33And, again, as we speak to escalation,

00:37potential escalation,

00:39the questions I've gotten about all-out war,

00:42we do not believe.

00:43We do not believe that an all-out war is inevitable,

00:46and we believe that it can be avoided.

00:48And that's why it's important

00:50to get to a diplomatic solution here.

00:53And so —

00:53Did the President get any sense during that meeting last week

00:56that a diplomatic solution was within reach?

00:59We want to work and focus on getting that diplomatic solution

01:02along the blue line, and that is important.

01:05We want to see these attacks from Hezbollah end,

01:08and for all, and allow Israelis

01:12and also Lebanese citizens on both sides of the border

01:15to be able to return homes to their lives

01:18and to, you know, live in safety.

01:21And so that's what we want to be.

01:22That's what we want to be.

01:23And so diplomatic solution is the way

01:26that we want to see the direction of this.

01:28And we do not believe that an all-out war is inevitable here.

01:32But as it relates to the —

01:33obviously, the strikes that just occurred,

01:36I just don't have any immediate comment on this at this time.

01:39And then on the personnel front, President Biden

01:41obviously himself served as the Vice President for eight years.

01:45He handpicked Kamala Harris for that role nearly four years ago.

01:49What level of input, if any, has he provided

01:52as she undergoes that same decision?

01:54Look, he was asked this question directly.

01:55The President, at 1.15 a.m.

01:57on the South Lawn, he responded to it.

02:00So I'm going to let the President's words

02:01speak for itself. I don't have anything beyond that.

02:03Go ahead, Karen.

'We Want To See These Attacks From Hezbollah End': Karine Jean-Pierre Reacts To Middle East Strife

Category

Transcript

Recommended