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Obama stays silent over Tel Aviv's actions
Paul Thompson29.12.08
BARACK Obama's transition team was today choosing its words carefully in dealing with the crisis in Gaza.
David Axelrod, senior adviser to the president-elect, said the next president would honour the "important bond" between the United States and Israel.
"He wants to be a constructive force in helping to bring about the peace and security that both the Israelis and the Palestinians want and deserve," the spokesman added. However, Mr Obama's lack of condemnation of TelAviv's actions risked alienating Muslims, Washington analysts warned today.
Many people within the Muslim world were looking to him to offer a fresh view on the Middle East and the cycle of violence. But three days after the Israeli assault began, senior aides said Mr Obama was leaving all comments to George Bush.
Mr Axelrod said there was "only one president at a time" and that Mr Obama did not want to send out mixed signals. Mr Obama had planned to deliver a major speech from an Islamic country within the first 100 days of his administration.
He had previously said that mediating in the conflict from "day one" of his administration was his main target. But with the death toll now rising above 300, and a ground invasion by Israeli troops increasingly likely, that aim appears all but lost.
Aaron David Miller, a veteran US peace negotiator, said the fighting made "a difficult situation even tougher" and reduced the likelihood that Mr Obama could create an impact.
Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official dismissed any suggestion that Israel had acted now because it believed a window of opportunity was closing with President Bush leaving office and Mr Obama preparing to enter the White House, highlighting instead Israeli parliamentary elections on 10February. "It wasn't politically sustainable for leaders in Israel to idly stand by and let Hamas continue shooting," the official said.
Reader views (7)
Shame on Obama with his futile words. His beginning isn't a good one.'Never again' he confirmed, yet another lie. His cabinet is full of zionists. And he's supporting a terrorist/apartheid state Israel. No condemnation for their violating of international laws.
And this is 'the land of the free', a democracy. The muslims world must be even more appalled of our so called civilizations. There are not enough words to explain my humanity and compassion for the oppressed.
Stop the occupation and the siege. This all is inhumane!
Hamas with their home made rockets ( like fireworks with 0.4 percent fatality) and a people getting chocked by Israel. Israel controls the air, sea and land. And there's a huge blockade. I would go mental.
This is all intented to clear out the Gaza strip eventually. Ethnic cleansing.
- Mike, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Its good that obama has stayed out of it. Bush has said his peace that Israel has every means to defend themselves and thats wat the current president's final word is.
- Thomas, Lake Wales Florida
Shame on all those US politicians who failed to take a stand against Israel's brutal assault on the Palestinian people.
- Suhail Shafi, Atlanta
Obamas choices so far in terms of the make up of his cabinet and team speaks volumes about who he reports to
- Neil, London UK
At least credit the Israeli's with honesty, this attack has nothing to do with the security of Israel and everything to do with Israeli domestic politics!
Gordon Brown wrote book about courage, will he now have the courage to speak out about the situation in Gaza?
- Manny Goldstein, London, UK
Can you imagine Barack Obama staying silent if Palestinians had massacred 320 Israelis?
Obama will be no different in his foreign policy to Bush. The idea that Obama will bring peace to the Middle East is a joke. He will continue to bankroll and arm the bellicose Israelis like all the presidents before him.
- Terry Wilson, London
This invasion of Gaza is totally out of line. To me, Gaza equals the Warsaw Ghetto. Fight back with minimal weapons and face annihilation. As an American, put yourself in the place of the Gaza residents. You hold legal elections, but Israel or the world doesn't like your results. Your small strip of land, i.e., country, is now shut off from all supplies via roads, planes, boats; you're locked in and can't break out. You fire a few rockets that do minimal damage while Israel destroys your country on a daily basis. I think many of the Israelis need to look at what they have become since the Holocaust. I've never been anti Jewish, I have Jewish relatives I love dearly, but they agree with me on this issue. Our leaders IN WASHINGTON had better wake up and get off the AIPAC CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION WAGON. THEY ARE HURTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WITH THEIR POLICY TOWARD ISRAEL. REMEMBER,
"EVERY TIME A BELL RINGS AN ANGEL GETS HIS WINGS AND AND A NEW TERRORIST IS BORN."
- Charlotte Robinson, United States
