All-Out War Possible but Not Inevitable in the Middle East – Reuters

By Steve Holland

NEW YORK – U.S. President Joe Biden stated on Wednesday that while an all-out war in the Middle East is a possibility, there is also potential for a resolution to the ongoing conflicts involving Israel in Gaza and against the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

"An all-out war is possible, but there’s also the opportunity—we’re still in play to achieve a settlement that can fundamentally change the whole region," Biden remarked during an appearance on a talk show.

Currently in New York for U.N. General Assembly meetings, Biden is actively seeking to ease tensions, as the nearly yearlong conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza threatens to escalate into Lebanon. Israel expanded its airstrikes in Lebanon on Wednesday and intercepted a missile that Hezbollah claimed was aimed at the Israeli intelligence agency near Tel Aviv.

Biden, a long-standing supporter of Israel, has advocated for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and expressed his disagreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on this matter. "I don’t agree with his position. There needs to be a two-state solution," he emphasized. "It needs to happen."

Once ceasefires are established with Hezbollah and in Gaza, Biden indicated that the focus can then shift to the West Bank. "It’s possible, and I’m using every bit of energy I have … to get this done. There’s a desire to see change."