Dec 29, 2008 4:52pm

WH Blames Hamas for Violence

ABC News’ Kirit Radia Reports from Crawford, Texas: In the White House’s first press briefing since Israel began bombing Gaza over the weekend, spokesman Gordon Johndroe towed the same line we’ve heard from the administration in recent days, blaming Hamas for the outbreak of violence but at no time calling on Israel to stop its retaliation.

"Hamas has once again shown its true colors as a terrorist organization that refuses to even recognize Israel’s right to exist. In order for the violence to stop, Hamas must stop firing rockets into Israel and agree to respect a sustainable and durable cease-fire. That is the objective to which all parties need to be working.  And that is what the United States is working toward. We also remain concerned about the humanitarian situation for the people of Gaza. We ask that all parties involved to allow food and medical supplies to reach the people there. And we appreciate the efforts of a variety of countries in the region who are working to help the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza," Johndroe said.

"We have urged the Israelis to avoid civilian casualties, but they are working on decreasing the number of Israeli citizens that are vulnerable," he added.

President Bush has yet to inject himself into the situation since this latest round of fighting began, leaving it up to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to speak with the parties (though, consistent with longstanding policy, the U.S. has not spoken with Hamas). Instead Bush has spoken with regional intermediaries. On Saturday, he spoke with Saudi King Abdullah and then this morning with Jordanian King Abdullah.

In those discussions, Johndroe said the president told the kings, "we want to see the violence stop, but in a way that leads to a durable and sustainable succession of violence. We can’t have the violence stop now only for it to start up again."

Rice, meanwhile, has spoken to several regional and world leaders about the fighting, including Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, and Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Noticeably absent from her list of calls, however, is Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Rice has taken the time to brief the incoming administration on the situation. Since fighting broke out she has spoken with President-elect Barack Obama and his pick for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Johndroe said he did not expect Bush to speak publicly about the situation. "At this point, we don’t have any plans for the president to — to make a statement on this. We will continue to monitor the situation. I mean, he’s staying in touch with the national security adviser, as well as the secretary of state, and we’ll see," Johndroe said, adding: "Secretary Rice has been the primary interlocutor."

The president has received intelligence and situational updates and this morning discussed the matter via secure video conference with Vice President Dick Cheney, Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, and National Security Adviser Steve Hadley.

"They updated him on overnight developments in the Middle East and discussed U.S. actions," Johndroe said.

Asked if the U.S. is urging Israel to avoid a ground operation in Gaza, he replied: "I can’t speak to any potential ground operation.  I think that any ground operation, according to the Israelis, would be part and parcel of the — of the overall operation, given their statements saying that they don’t want to retake Gaza, that they simply want to protect their people."

"I’m not going to speculate on a ground operation," he quickly added.

Asked if Israel’s targets were justified, he replied: "The United States understands that Israel needs to take actions to defend itself."

Johndroe said the U.S. has not been involved in the planning or coordination of the Israeli offensive.

"The United States is not involved in this action in any — in any specific way. The United States has provided millions of dollars of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, and so we are certainly encouraging countries in the region to continue their efforts to bring medical and food supplies to the people of Gaza," he said.

So what is the president doing today?

"After his phone call with Abdullah and his intelligence briefing, he went to his office to work on paperwork and a variety of things. And I expect he’ll probably ride his bicycle today and spend time with Mrs. Bush. And I expect he’ll also probably receive updates on the ongoing situation in the Middle East, as well," Johndroe said.

User Comments

Of course. To Bush and co. Israel is always doing what is right. Who cares about the Palestinians.

Posted by: Joe | December 29, 2008, 5:17 pm 5:17 pm

I am an Independent who agrees with Bush on this point!
PEBO better watch his step on this one! It will soon be his to deal with, and there is no room for his equivocation! :(

Posted by: aware2u | December 29, 2008, 6:09 pm 6:09 pm

Of course they do, just like they blame Iraq on Saddam Hussein and his non-existant WMD’s. Bush and company live in a fairytale world where they and Israel can do no wrong.

Posted by: JR | December 29, 2008, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm

After ensuring his place as the worst PRECEDENT in the history of the USA, many will know his failure from DAY 1 concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His hands off idiocy and his sycophantic Israeli hop-a-long waltz have done nothing but worsen the agonizing quarrel. Wait until the UNOCAL story gets airplay and their negotiation with the TALIBAN is aired. Wait until the UNOCAL directors like Condi Rice, James Baker, Henry “wanted in 5 countries” Kissinger, etal are outed for the failure to beat all failures is known worldwide. Film at Eleven…Back to you DOUG!!!!!

Posted by: daddyblue | December 29, 2008, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm

So …. Hamas fires at Israel and the world is silent – no protests, no worldwide outrage. Israel fires back and they are viewed as the bad guy. Bush is on the “fringe” for recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself. Either half the world is off its rocker, or I’m misunderstanding the situation.

Posted by: Je suis moi | December 29, 2008, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm

We’ll have to see if Obama is happy with toeing the standard presidential line and laying off the Israelis. Doing so will eliminate any of the worldwide political/good will capital he inherited by simply winning the election.

Posted by: matt | December 29, 2008, 7:25 pm 7:25 pm

There is no doubt that Hamas is responsible for the current conflict in Gaza. Israel left Gaza in 2005. Instead of developing a peaceful society and a productive economy, Hamas chose to turn Gaza into a rocket launching pad. Israel has finally responded after being hit by several thousand rockets launched by Hamas and its allies. May the innocents of Gaza be safe. May the terrorists of Hamas be destroyed.

Posted by: Graniteman | December 29, 2008, 7:35 pm 7:35 pm

The Israeli’s should stop answering terrorist rocket attacks on their civilian population and cities with surgical attacks aimed at Hamas targets, and return rocket for rocket. Hamas targets civilian centers, Israel should do the same. Rockets are terror weapons, because no-one knows where they will come down, like the buzz-bombs and V2′s Hitler rained down on London. The Palestinian people cheer when Hamas sends rockets to kill Israeli civilians, because they know Israel doesn’t send rockets back, let’s see if they still cheer when Israel sends rockets to kill THEIR families, they deserve no less. The whiners in the UN, etc. who never condemn Hamas, only Israel’s attempts to protect themselves, are beneath contempt. Hamas is not freedom fighters or martyrs, just insatiable mad, murderous, cowardly dogs to be destroyed. Freedom fighters do not strap bombs on children, or murder men, women, children (including other Muslims) in stores and cafes.

Posted by: lightnin | December 29, 2008, 8:14 pm 8:14 pm

Je suis moi,
“Either half the world is off its rocker, or I’m misunderstanding the situation.”
You’re misunderstanding the situation. It is only half the ‘blogger world’ that is off its rocker. They haven’t bothered to get the facts on both sides. Too busy believing that those that voted for Obama don’t understand justice or know why we voted.
Nobody has the right to shoot rockets at your civilians and not expect a in-kind (or better) retaliation. I’ve never supported Israel and thought of them as a bunch of whiners. On this, however, I think Israel is justified. I don’t buy the poor little unarmed Hamas people’s argument either. If they can build and shoot rockets, they can build and grow their economy.

Posted by: Common Sense | December 29, 2008, 9:17 pm 9:17 pm

Obama has committed himself to immediately restarting peace efforts after he take office.
Please were is Barack Obama? What does he have to say on this new violence? Oh, I’m sorry he’s on vacation.

Posted by: waggdogg | December 29, 2008, 10:24 pm 10:24 pm

Most leaders in the world have decried both, Israel’s attack and Hamas’s terror. However, president Bush and Condi have strongly standed with Israel as you read the article. Nontheless Bush did good jobs for Israel, I don’t understand why American Jewish of around 70% voted for Democratic Obama who wanted to meet the dictator Iranian president unconditionally. Remember,
Barbra Streisand and Steven Spielberg had a lavish funderaising party, $31,500 per seat for Obama only. Is there anyone answer for my question ?

Posted by: Jung -NY | December 29, 2008, 11:26 pm 11:26 pm

100 years of fighting over the right to occupy a 25 miles by 7.5 miles piece of land. Bloodshed, death, carnage for the right to claim a swatch of earth. Mankind is ignorant and the ongoing middle east conflict is evidence of our bitter hatred towards one another.

Posted by: clarity | December 30, 2008, 1:08 am 1:08 am

Bush is the worst president in the history of the United States. He can never compensate us for what he has done to our country. He has disgraced us and destroyed our dignity and credibility around the world. The people of the world would like to try him for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Posted by: OnTheCase7 | December 30, 2008, 4:12 am 4:12 am

As long as the settlements and checkpoints in the West Bank exist and as long as Israel controls the water, food, and electricity into Gaza, peace is an illusion. It is hard to ask the Palestinians to accept their current state of depraved occupation.

Posted by: Ne Straub | December 30, 2008, 11:21 am 11:21 am

why do the Gaza Strip morons continue to lob bombs into Israel? If it were me, I would blow the whole friggin strip of land to smitherines. How can there ever be peace when Hamas won’t even recognize Israel? The Palestinian civilians in Gaza are being complacent to allow the rocket attacks to continue. Don’t blame Israel for protecting themselves. You don’t see this in the West Bank with Fatah rule.

Posted by: Robbie C. | December 30, 2008, 2:13 pm 2:13 pm

waggdogg,
Obama is not yet President — George Bush is the current President. It is not President elect Obama’s time to make Presidential statements. Use your brain. BTW, George B. is on vacation as well, and not doing much else.

Posted by: John H. | December 30, 2008, 2:21 pm 2:21 pm

The Israelis and the Palestinians have not ever been able to have peace for long..Everyone wants the same land……All fighting should be discouraged and the Israli and Palestinians should go back to the peace treaties previously worked out. The Hamas do still consider themselves to be Palestinians don’t they? Israelis should consider Hamas to be Palestinians

Posted by: AnnD52 | December 30, 2008, 2:22 pm 2:22 pm

Robbie C. – How do the Palestinians protect themselves from persecution. Do the Israelis bomb themselves to prevent themselves from committing human rights abuses.

Posted by: Megadeth | December 30, 2008, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm

Mark – Hamas is willing to work with the existence of Israel, but they take issue with being occupied. Just look at a map of the West Bank settlements to get a clue.

Posted by: Megadeth | December 30, 2008, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm

AMERICA HAS LOANED ISRAEL 1.3 TRILLION SINCE 1973.
WELL, WE NEED IT BACK, SO GIVE IT UP
NO MORE AID TO ISRAEL OR THE ARABS
KEEP AMERICA STRONG.
NO MORE FREE US TAXPAYER HANDOUTS TO FOREIGN GOVERMENTS WHO WOULD SUCK US INTO THEIR REGIONAL CONFLICTS…
AMERICA # 1

Posted by: CHUCK | December 30, 2008, 5:52 pm 5:52 pm

Megadeth
Funny, Hamas can’t get water, food or power but can get rockets to fire at Israel!

Posted by: waggdogg | December 30, 2008, 9:25 pm 9:25 pm

militants, who have launched more than 400 rockets across the border since Saturday, Four days!
Can’t get food or water because of Israel but can get thousands of rockets.
Who is wagging who?

Posted by: waggdogg | December 30, 2008, 9:37 pm 9:37 pm

waggdogg – As long as the settlements exist, Israel should be resisted. I don’t know if the Palestinians have tried peaceful protests like maybe a sit in or tying themselves to something. I am sure Israel would do the right thing if the resistance was peaceful…..not.
Tunnels bring the rockets in. Israel controls the basic necessities. DO the research yourself. I encourage you to look at the settlement map in the West Bank.

Posted by: Huh | December 31, 2008, 2:01 am 2:01 am

i think the US should support neither side adn be an honest brokler for peace. we must condemn both sides for gross human rights violations.
yes, this will be the president-elect’s issue to deal with. bush and co., incorporated, has done nothing constructive in 8 years.

Posted by: Paul Wall | January 1, 2009, 5:16 pm 5:16 pm

How an Israeli academic – professor of Electrical Engineering – sees it:
1: Who remembers that the world hailed when Israel retreated from Gaza 3 years ago? Gaza was about to become the Singapore of the Mid East as the wealthy Arab states were preparing to pour heaps of money into it, but then Hamas took over (which we owe to Bush’s insistence on “democracy”) and threw it into an age Islamic extremism.
2: Israel said back then when it left Gaza: “We dismantled our settlements in Gaza – we are out – but if you shoot at us from the area we vacated we shall hit back with all our might” but never made true on its promise – until now.
3: Hamas also poses a direct and immediate threat to the stability of the Egyptian regime, through its alliance with the “Moslem Brothers” militant opposition and Iran. If you listen to Mubarak, beyond lip service comments on Israel’s action, there is scathing criticism of how Hamas prompted the current crisis by violating the last six-month ceasefire pouring volleys of hundreds of rockets on Israeli civilians days before the action – which left Israel no choice but to act.
4: It is inevitable that Israel address this existential threat from an Iranian-backed terrorist state – “Hamastan” – pouring ballistic fire into Israel, digging tunnels across the border to smuggle in homicide bombers and kidnap soldiers – having delayed our action for three years and having acted indecisively now costs many more lives on both sides (but still far less than if the action were to be further postponed). Why? Since Hamas increased the area coverage of its rockets by a factor of 16 under the cover of the last ceasefire, turning now the lives of 3/4 of a million Israelis into living hell.
5. Even though the death statistics on the Israeli side are low, whole cities are paralyzed and rendered dis-functional as people duck for cover several times a day, families living in terror under the random roulette selecting whether or not not it is their turn to get maimed or killed or have their home destroyed, each time sirens wail. The world keeps counting the casualty scores, which luckily is lower on our side but this is no life for us. In particular, in the Israeli villages and towns bordering Gaza a whole generation of Israeli kids has grown disturbed, mentally wounded, traumatized by years of repeated and continual exposure to the Hamas bombardments targeting them.
5. If left unchecked Hamas was projected to reach Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem with its ballistic terror as soon as the next wave advanced Iranian supplies made it in, as the siege of Gaza has been imperfect and increasingly more sophisticated rockets already got smuggled in, increasing the ballistic range and destructive power of the blasts. That means that if Israel did not act now, it would have had to act within a year or so with tenfold might, in order to address this existential threat to itself and to the stability of the whole Middle East.
6. I view it as the utmost responsibility of my government to protect my fellow citizens, and I have been personally appalled that action has not been taken sooner – but better late than later.

Posted by: Moshe Nazarathy | January 2, 2009, 4:10 am 4:10 am

Those with a sense of history recall the San Remo Conference, confirmed by the League of Nations July 24, 1922 and Article 2: “The Mandatory (British) shall be responsible for placing the country (Palestine) under such political, administrative and economic conditions as weill secure the establishment of the Jewish national home, as laid down in the preamble, and the development of self-governing institutions, and also for safeguarding the civil and religious rights of all the inhabitants of Palestine, irrespective of race and religion. That objective obviously never happened because the ultranationalist Zionist movement wanted all of the territory of Palestine for itself and democratic principls could go fly a kite. The debacle in Palestine, and the Middle East itself, can be blamed on Zionist as well as Islamist extremism. In addition the heavy handed pro-Zionist lobbying in Washington is directly responsible for our own misguided and misdirected policies regarding that convoluted territory beginning with the Truman administration. Non-Jewish Palestinians have, by and large, been skunked out of their homes, their land, their properties, and not given the ‘right of return’ much less war crimes compensation for their misery. Further, US foreign policy has, in effect, aided and abetted the rise of extremist Islamist radicalism with glaring examples of our own foreign policy mismanagement in Iran leading to the hostage crisis, the continuing fiasco in the former British Palestnian Mandate, and the unsrupulous branding and markieting of the Third Reich’s genocide, murder, violence and ethnic cleansing as the Zionist “holocaust’, while those very same Zionists engage in their own versions of such unlawful acts which, in the case of the atrocities of WWII, were at least handled properly by the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunals and also at Regensburg under that authority. We taxpayers are paying a heavy price for a totally blown Middle East foreign policy over several administrations beginning in 1948. In Palestine there must be moderation, mutual cooperation, and governance insuring fairness, full equality, freedom and justice for all without regard to race, ethnic origin or religion and an end to the extremism and heavy handed political policies by both competing sides. Its time for the international community to step in and administer and management the Palestinian problem – equally, for all.

Posted by: Iowa lad | January 2, 2009, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm

Those with a sense of history recall the San Remo Conference, confirmed by the League of Nations July 24, 1922 and Article 2: “The Mandatory (British) shall be responsible for placing the country (Palestine) under such political, administrative and economic conditions as weill secure the establishment of the Jewish national home, as laid down in the preamble, and the development of self-governing institutions, and also for safeguarding the civil and religious rights of all the inhabitants of Palestine, irrespective of race and religion. That objective obviously never happened because the ultranationalist Zionist movement wanted all of the territory of Palestine for itself and democratic principls could go fly a kite. The debacle in Palestine, and the Middle East itself, can be blamed on Zionist as well as Islamist extremism. In addition the heavy handed pro-Zionist lobbying in Washington is directly responsible for our own misguided and misdirected policies regarding that convoluted territory beginning with the Truman administration. Non-Jewish Palestinians have, by and large, been skunked out of their homes, their land, their properties, and not given the ‘right of return’ much less war crimes compensation for their misery. Further, US foreign policy has, in effect, aided and abetted the rise of extremist Islamist radicalism with glaring examples of our own foreign policy mismanagement in Iran leading to the hostage crisis, the continuing fiasco in the former British Palestnian Mandate, and the unsrupulous branding and markieting of the Third Reich’s genocide, murder, violence and ethnic cleansing as the Zionist “holocaust’, while those very same Zionists engage in their own versions of such unlawful acts which, in the case of the atrocities of WWII, were at least handled properly by the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunals and also at Regensburg under that authority. We taxpayers are paying a heavy price for a totally blown Middle East foreign policy over several administrations beginning in 1948. In Palestine there must be moderation, mutual cooperation, and governance insuring fairness, full equality, freedom and justice for all without regard to race, ethnic origin or religion and an end to the extremism and heavy handed political policies by both competing sides. Its time for the international community to step in and administer and management the Palestinian problem – equally, for all.

Posted by: Iowa lad | January 2, 2009, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm

Yes, what we need is a Carter II to bring peace to the Middle East like the first one…wait a second, he did bring peace didn’t he? After all, he won the same Nobel Peace Prize Al Gore did, and if that doesn’t indicate absolute Righteousness, then I don’t know what does.

Posted by: Grand Old Party | January 3, 2009, 2:17 pm 2:17 pm

Iowa lad
in 1948 there were 2 states set up in Israel– Arab and Jew.The Jew getting all the worst part of the country, but they didn’t care. they were getting a home land. 5 Arab countries met with the Arabs in Palestine. They said that they were going to invade and that they could either stay and fight or leave. The cowards left and let the fighting up to the others. When they left the Arabs that fought hated their Arab brothers for being cowards and leaving.The so-called ” Palestinians ” have been living in refugee camps for over 60 years in the Middle East because their Arab brothers hate them for being cowards. We can plainly see that the palestinians are still cowards by hiding behind WOMENS’ Skirts and CHILDREN.
Islam was founded in Blood and continues in Blood. Islam is the ONLY major religion where their god REWARDS them for MURDER. Also Remember WHY the Middle East was broken up in the first place— backing the Germans in WWI. The same people who backed Hitler in WWII. Another fact one needs to remember is that when Muslims are not Killing Jews or Christians or Europeans etc. the are killing themselves–Sunni VS Shiite. they cannot decide who they hate more.Until the World wakes up and smells the coffee to truly see what kind of people we are dealing with there will NEVER be peace.

Posted by: alan stein | January 3, 2009, 6:38 pm 6:38 pm

alan stein – Bad land. They got the coast. Now the are settling the region near the Jordan River in the West Bank. Hardly the bad land that you speak of.

Posted by: Huh | January 4, 2009, 2:56 am 2:56 am

Placing blame in a bar room brawls never solves the problem. ………..

Posted by: Ohg Rea Tone | January 4, 2009, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm

Can’t say I would expect anything else from Bush and Cheney. . I will not shed a tear as they go.

Posted by: Ben Straub | January 4, 2009, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm

“I never felt more SAFE than when I walked UNARMED in the Indian Villages” ~ William Penn during French Indian War

Posted by: Nancy Mehegan | January 5, 2009, 4:08 pm 4:08 pm

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