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"We don't want to see any actor inside or outside take actions or do things or espouse policies or programs that run afoul of that process," Kirby said.
By HANNAH SARISOHN DECEMBER 10, 2024 20:42
The Syrian opposition flag hangs at the Syrian embassy following an occupation of the embassy by Syrians living in Greece, after Syrian rebels announced that they have ousted President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, in Athens, Greece, December 8, 2024.
(photo credit: REUTERS/STELIOS MISINAS)
President Joe Biden is staying fully briefed by his national security team as his US national security adviser Jake Sullivan prepares to travel to Israel on Wednesday night, National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday morning.
Kirby said the US was not involved in any Israeli operations in Syria, and Israel had made clear these were "temporary measures to ensure their own security."
The United States wanted to ensure that the Syrian people were able to determine their future and that there was a Syrian-led evolution toward "better and more representative governance," Kirby added.
Kirby deferred repeated questions on Israel's actions in Syria to the Israeli government, reiterating throughout his briefing that Israel has the right to defend itself.
"At the risk of sounding like a broken record again, we support the disengagement agreement from 1974. I'll let the Israelis speak to what they're doing," he said.
Though Kirby added as things go forward, what the US wants to see from all actors inside and outside Syria are actions that help the Syrian people "get to governance that they can believe in and governance that meets their aspirations" and not see any actor that makes it harder for the Syrian people to get a legitimate governance.
"We don't want to see any actor inside or outside take actions or do things or espouse policies or programs that run afoul of that process," Kirby said. "And that's why the President is going to stay engaged with our counterparts outside Syria, and we are going to maintain communications with those inside Syria to make sure that that's where we go."
Reporters pressed Kirby several times about the Biden administration taking credit for supporting Israel's campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon which created the conditions for Assad to fall, after Biden initially conveyed hesitation and disapproval over the Israelis' northern operation.
Assad's biggest supporters
In the opening remarks of the briefing, Kirby said the fact that Assad's biggest supporters, Russia and Iran are significantly weakened now, tied directly to unflagging American support for Israel in their fight against Hamas and in the effort to secure a ceasefire with Hezbollah.
Though in response to a question noting it's unlikely Assad would've fallen if Netanyahu listened to Biden's advice not to attack Hezbollah, Kirby said he didn't think anyone should "over-emphasize one particular operation, whether it's against Hamas or against Hezbollah, as being the game changer."
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"Here it is, the sum total of American support for Israel and their ability to defend themselves. And it is very much, this is a point that I think is getting lost here, the ceasefire that we mediated between Israel and Lebanon and Hezbollah, that sent a strong signal to people in the region that Hezbollah was done," Kirby said. "Hezbollah was out of it. They weren't going to come to Hamas' assistance, and Iran wasn't going to be able to rely on them."
Don't mistake for a moment that there weren't groups in Syria that paid attention to the fact that Hezbollah was no longer in the fight, Kirby added.
"But I think the fact that in the aggregate, we have been robust in our support of Israel's right to defend itself, " he said. "And backing that up with real arms and ammunition as well as diplomatic efforts, played a real role here."
Reuters contributed to this report.
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