America’s Cares.

Written By: - Date published: 2:02 pm, May 15th, 2018 - 12 comments
Categories: International, israel, us politics - Tags: ,

55 people dead and over 1000 injured, and the the US president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, celebrates the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem to clapping and cheering from American and Israeli VIPs. (The Guardian)

Meanwhile, from the White House’s Daily Briefing held by Raj Shah.

QUESTION: Raj, a couple if I could. At the same time, there was the celebratory air in Jerusalem as the U.S. was moving its embassy. In the south of Israel along the border with Gaza, there was a lot of violence that resulted in more than 41 people losing their lives. Is the President concerned about the demonstrations there and Israel’s response to people trying to climb over the fence?


SHAH: Well we’re aware of the reports of continued violence in Gaza today. The responsibility for these tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas. Hamas is intentionally and cynically provoking this response. And as the Secretary of State said, Israel has the right to defend itself.

[Questions and answers on China]

QUESTION: Raj, the death toll is over 50 in Gaza. Is U.S. calling on Israel to use restraint in league (ph) with these protests?


SHAH: Well we believe that you know Hamas is responsible for these — for these tragic deaths, that their rather cynical exploitation of the situation, it is what — is what’s leading to these deaths and we want them to stop.

QUESTION: So there’s no burden on Israel to do something to sort of rein it in?


SHAH: No, we — we think that we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that Hamas is the one that frankly bear responsibility for the dire situation right now in Gaza.

QUESTION: And lastly Raj, how does this — United States has been wanting to put out a peace plan. How does today’s situation hurt that?

SHAH: I don’t think it hurts the – the peace plan. The peace plan will be introduced at the appropriate time, but what today is about is following through on what the President promised and believes. And it’s also a recognition of reality. I think we’ve for decades you know walked on eggshells, pretending that Jerusalem isn’t the capital of Israel when it obviously is. And this is just a recognition of reality. David (ph)?

 

12 comments on “America’s Cares. ”

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  1. Ad 1
    15 May 2018 at 2:13 pm

    Not that I would ever think that Norman Finkelstein’s lens is the only way to look at Gaza – and in some ways the White House spokesperson quoted above makes reasonable points – but the IDF under successive Israeli governments have done a lot of damage there to which they should be held to account. Finkelstein’s latest book on the IDF in Gaza is well reviewed by The Intercept:

    https://theintercept.com/2018/05/13/as-gaza-sinks-into-desperation-a-new-book-makes-the-case-against-israeli-brutality/

  2. Ad 2
    15 May 2018 at 2:17 pm

    The White House spokesperson makes clear points, but there’s no way around the IDF’s cumulative actions in Gaza over many years. Norman Finkelstein continues to hold Israel’s IDF to account in his latest book, which is well reviewed in The Intercept here:

    https://theintercept.com/2018/05/13/as-gaza-sinks-into-desperation-a-new-book-makes-the-case-against-israeli-brutality/

    • Gabby 2.1
      15 May 2018 at 4:05 pm

      I can’t see them holding the door open for a flood of angry muslims addy, can you?

      • Ad 2.1.1
        15 May 2018 at 7:20 pm

        No, and nor would we despite having the most left wing English speaking government in the world.

  3. adam 3
    15 May 2018 at 2:31 pm

    I know history doesn’t repeat, but there is a distinct whiff of Chamberlain in the air.

  4. dukeofurl 4
    15 May 2018 at 3:05 pm

    Moving its embassy ? Thats another Trump con job. Its just the fairly new Jerusalem consulate rebranded as an ‘Embassy’ along with the US owned Diplomat Hotel next door to it.

  5. Adrian Thornton 5
    15 May 2018 at 3:30 pm

    Thanks for this piece Bill.
    It has now become undeniable that Israel has stepped willingly into the stinking shoes left behind to rot by Apartheid South Africa…and they seem to be fitting very very well.

  6. Barfly 6
    15 May 2018 at 4:38 pm

    Israel was founded on ethnic cleansing, atrocities and wholesale theft of Palestinians land and property. Israel has fought multiple wars of aggression for “Lebensraum”, they are one of the most prolific offenders in the exercise of state sanctioned extra-judicial murder. I believe it will likely be a cold day in hell before Palestinians are accorded equal rights.

  7. CHCOff 7
    15 May 2018 at 5:25 pm

    I would like to see Ivanka and Jacinda together.

    These umbrella free trade agreements are a significant factor behind the structure of these unfortunate events. That Trump is looking at alternatives to that is good.

    A U.N. global body that facilitates trading deals and connections of independent & specialised business/guild chain interests to their geographical areas of operation would go a long way to diverting the economics away from such blunt state economic management know how in troubled spots around the ole earth.

  8. Nic the NZer 8
    16 May 2018 at 8:13 am

    Why does the US want its embassy near the border with Gaza? This really seems to be asking for trouble.

  9. Venezia 9
    16 May 2018 at 11:47 am

    The deaths and injuries keep mounting in Gaza and the West Bank. 61 dead and 2700 injured. The US narrative continues to blame Hamas, & Niki Haley has this morning praised Israel’s “restraint” over this period. I have watched the Al Jazeera coverage of the protests. There were so many cameras covering this war it is difficult to believe the claims made by Israelis and the US. The Israelis were firing live ammunition into Gaza from across the fence line. Their sniper positions and tanks were in the no man’s land. ( I will not call it a border because it’s not). Unarmed protesters were too far from this fence to breach that fenceline, at least 50 metres, according to the Al Jazeera correspondents. Some young people were attempting to fire stones via slingshots across the line. Most fell far short. There were regular tear gas bombs sent over the line by Israeli drones,multiple bombs at a time. The baby who died was a long distance from the front, in a tent used by medics, & reporters.

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