U.S. and U.N. Call for Israel/Gaza Ceasefire
Late last month, Israel launched air strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza in response to Hamas rocket attacks in Israel. For the past nine days, Israel and the Islamic group have traded fire. Israel commenced ground attacks last week, which were criticized by Egypt’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, among others.
The U.S. State Department called for a ceasefire this week between Israel and Hamas.
“We would like an immediate ceasefire, absolutely,” said spokesman Sean McCormack. “An immediate ceasefire that is durable, sustainable and not time-limited.”
The State Department has sent Secretary Condoleezza Rice to the United Nations to discuss the ceasefire. The U.N. and “Arab diplomats” have also called for an end to the fighting between the two forces. The U.N. estimates over 500 Palestinians have been killed, as well as a “handful” of Israelis. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, whose party was ousted from Gaza in 2007, visited the U.N. this week.
According to Newsday, the U.S. blocked the U.N. Security Council from issuing a ceasefire statement.
President-elect Barack Obama has finally spoken out on the conflict. He said “the loss of civilian life in Gaza and in Israel is a source of deep concern for me…After Jan. 20 I’m going to have plenty to say about the issue, and I am not backing away at all from what I said during the campaign, that starting at the beginning of our administration, we are going to be engaged effectively and consistently in trying to resolve the conflict in the Middle East. That’s something I am committed to.”
(Sources: Newsday and Reuters)
Tags: Barack Obama, condoleezza rice, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Palestine, United Nations