By Anita Powell
President Joe Biden warned against a full-scale war in Lebanon and said it is time to end the conflict in Gaza, as he delivered his final address Tuesday to hundreds of leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.
“A full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” Biden said, referring to the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. He said a diplomatic solution is still possible.
On the nearly one-year-old conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Biden urged the parties to “finalize the terms” of a cease-fire and hostage deal that has been endorsed by the U.N. Security Council.
On Ukraine's efforts to fight off Russia’s invasion, Biden said, “We cannot grow weary. We cannot look away, and we will not let up on our support for Ukraine, not until Ukraine wins with a just and durable peace."
Biden's speech comes at a clutch moment, according to U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
"We say this every year, but this UNGA could not come at a more critical and more challenging moment,” she said in a briefing last week at the U.N. “The list of crises and conflicts that demand attention and action only seem to grow and grow."
Atop that list: Gaza. The U.S. position is not in line with the rest of the general assembly, which last week overwhelmingly passed a resolution demanding that Israel end its occupation of Palestinian territory within the next 12 months. The United States was among the 14 no votes.
Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. vote is in line with Washington’s opposition to "unilateral measures that undermine the prospect of a two-state solution.”
Biden has spotlighted these conflicts as major challenges as he ends his presidency.
“With the Middle East, this looks like, you know, ‘How do you keep the lid on this and hope the conflict doesn't spiral out of control into a regional war?’” said Jim Kessler, executive vice president for policy at Washington-based think tank Third Way. “And I think that's anybody's best guess, about what's going to happen.”
One thing is painfully clear: As the Israel-Hamas conflict nears the one-year mark, nearly 100 hostages are thought to remain in Hamas’ custody. The White House says bringing them home is its top priority, and the key pillar of a deal to halt the fighting between Israel and the U.S.-designated terrorist group.
For months, Biden’s emissaries have raced between Qatar and Cairo to try to bring the sides together. And for months, they have appeared to be on the precipice of a deal, only for it to fall apart.
Kim Lewis contributed from Washington.
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