Europe joins US in urging restraint by Israel after Iranian attack
Send a link to a friend
[April 15, 2024]
By James Mackenzie
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's European allies urged it on Monday to
show restraint over Iran's weekend missile and drone attack, calling on
Israeli leaders to step away from "the edge of the cliff" of escalation
in the Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet, which is
empowered to decide on the country's response, was set to convene on
Monday afternoon, a government source said.
Israeli officials said the war cabinet, which also met on Sunday,
favored retaliation but was divided over the timing and scale of any
such response.
With the danger of open warfare erupting between Israel and Iran, and
tension high over the war in Gaza, President Joe Biden has told
Netanyahu the United States will not participate in any Israeli
counter-offensive against Iran, U.S. officials said.
Britain, France, Germany and the European Union's foreign policy chief
all joined Washington and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres in calling for restraint.
"We're on the edge of the cliff and we have to move away from it," Josep
Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy, told Spanish radio station Onda Cero. "We have to step on the
brakes and reverse gear."
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/Apr/15/images/ads/current/topflight_sda_SFARM_2024.png)
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Israel to set its sight on
isolating Iran rather than escalating the situation. German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz warned Iran not to carry out more attacks and said Israel
must also contribute to de-escalation.
Russia has refrained from criticizing its ally Iran in public over the
strikes but expressed concern about the risk of escalation on Monday and
also called for restraint.
"Further escalation is in no one's interests," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry
Peskov said.
Iran launched the attack over a suspected Israeli airstrike on its
embassy compound in Syria on April 1 that killed seven Iranian
Revolutionary Guards officers including two senior commanders.
It followed months of clashes between Israel and Iran's regional allies,
triggered by the Gaza war that has spread to fronts with Iran-aligned
groups in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
The weekend attack, involving more than 300 missiles and drones, caused
only modest damage in Israel. Most were shot down by Israel's Iron Dome
defense system and with help from the U.S., Britain, France and Jordan.
The only serious injury reported within Israel was a seven-year-old who
was hurt by shrapnel.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/Apr/15/images/ads/current/ldn_lda_BUSDIRCOVER_2024.png)
[to top of second column]
|
![](../images/041524PIX/news_d9.jpg)
A view of a crater on a damaged road, after Iran's mass drone and
missile attack, at a location given as Hermon area, Israel, in this
handout picture released on April 14, 2024. Israel Defense
Forces/Handout via REUTERS /File Photo
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/Apr/15/images/ads/current/aeps_lda_013124.png)
UNCERTAINTY
Asian shares fell and gold prices rose on Monday as risk sentiment
took a hit, but oil prices dipped and Israel's shekel rose against
the dollar.
"An attack was largely priced in the days leading up to it. Also the
limited damage and the fact that there was no loss of life means
that maybe Israel's response will be more measured," said Warren
Patterson, head of commodities strategy at ING.
"But clearly, there is still plenty of uncertainty and it all
depends on how Israel now responds."
Iran's attack also caused travel disruption, with at least a dozen
airlines cancelling or rerouting flights, and Europe's aviation
regulator reaffirming advice to airlines to use caution in Israeli
and Iranian airspace.
Two senior Israeli ministers have signaled that retaliation is not
imminent and that Israel will not act alone.
"We will build a regional coalition and exact the price from Iran in
the fashion and timing that is right for us," centrist minister
Benny Gantz said.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel had an opportunity to form
a strategic alliance "against this grave threat by Iran."
Israel remained on high alert, but authorities lifted some emergency
measures that had included a ban on some school activities and caps
on large gatherings.
Iranian army chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri has
warned Israel not to retaliate, and told Washington that U.S. bases
could be attacked if it helps Israel do so.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Tehran had
informed the United States that the attack on Israel would be
limited and for self-defense, and that regional neighbors had been
informed of the planned strikes 72 hours in advance.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/Apr/15/images/ads/current/prarieland_sda_SFARM_2024.png)
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said on Monday,
however, that no pre-arranged agreement was made with any country
prior to the weekend attack. U.S. officials said Tehran had not
warned Washington.
(Reporting by James MacKenzie and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem, Parisa
Hafezi in Dubai, Jeff Mason and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington,
Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman and Nidal al-Mughrabi and Adam Makary
in Cairo; writing by Timothy Heritage; editing by Mark Heinrich)
[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]This material
may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |