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The White House is staying silent about Israel’s strike on Isfahan with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declining to answer any questions about the retaliation during Friday afternoon’s press briefing.
“We do not have any comment on the reports at this time,” Jean-Pierre responded to numerous questions.
“We have been very clear about deescalation in the region. Any question relating to the reporting out there, I’m just not going to speak to that,” Jean-Pierre said.
Jean-Pierre repeated the administration’s stance that it does not want to see a major military operation.
“The President and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have a long-standing relationship that goes decades,” Jean-Pierre said. “And because of that long standing relationship, they are able to speak very honestly with each other and have difficult conversations when it’s necessary. That is the type of friendship that they have.”
Silence and rising hate
Jean-Pierre said it’s not likely the White House will have anything further to say on Israel’s retaliatory strike.
Jean-Pierre did address the pro-Palestian protests sweeping across Columbia University’s campus where more than 100 students were arrested Thursday night.
She said there’s been a shocking rise in antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate that “has no place in America.”
Biden believes that free speech debate and non-discrimination on college campuses are important American values, Jean-Pierre added.
“We make clear that when Jews are targeted, because of their beliefs, because of their identity, or when Israel is singled out because of anti Jewish hate – that is anti semitism,” Jean-Pierre said. “And that is completely unacceptable.”
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