WASHINGTON (AP) — Obama administration officials were fuming Monday over a torrent of Israeli criticism of Secretary of State John Kerry’s latest bid to secure a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
In unusually harsh language, officials said the criticism of Kerry could put the relationship between the U.S. and Israel in jeopardy. They also said the personal attacks on Kerry crossed a line and were particularly disappointing at a time of active conflict.
Israeli media commentators have leveled almost nonstop criticism at Kerry in recent days over his attempts to bring Qatar and Turkey — two countries viewed by Israel as strong Hamas supporters — into the cease-fire negotiations. Kerry was also being accused of abandoning some of Israel’s key demands during the negotiations.
In trying to implement the cease-fire over the weekend, “U.S. Secretary of State of State John Kerry ruined everything,” wrote columnist Ari Shavit in Monday’s Haaretz, Israel’s leading liberal newspaper. “Very senior officials in Jerusalem described the proposal that Kerry put on the table as a ‘strategic terrorist attack’.”
Kerry made no direct mention of the criticism during brief remarks Monday. However, he did seek to debunk the notion that the U.S. had backed away from its support for the demilitarization of Gaza, which has been a top priority for Israel.
“Any process to resolve the crisis in Gaza in a lasting and meaningful way must lead to the disarmament of Hamas and all terrorist groups,” Kerry said.
Kerry returned to Washington Sunday after a week of shuttle diplomacy in the region failed to secure the weeklong cease-fire he sought.
U.S. frustration with Israel seeped into the White House’s readout of a phone call Sunday between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The White House said Obama told Netanyahu that the U.S. had “serious and growing concern” about the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. He also called to an “immediate, unconditional humanitarian cease-fire,” according to the White House.
White House national security adviser Susan Rice was expected to address the situation in the Middle East later Monday. The U.S. officials who described the administration’s view of the Israeli criticism insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter on the record by name.
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Associated Press writer Peter Enav in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
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Israel is busy biting the hand the feeds them (and protect themselves).
We are witnessing Israeli nihilism, and they don’t even recognize it.
Israel is no ally of the US…why are we supporting this terrorist, Apartheid nation? Why do we allow Israel to pull our strings after everything we’ve done for her. Cut this albatross from our necks!
And the RW permawar crowd will cheer on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu loudly to make Kerry seem weak. They like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the same reason they like Putin.
Israel’s only strategic goal in each of its seemingly interminable wars on Hamas and Hezbollah is to bring death and destruction. They have no larger political or security goal that is remotely discernible
When the FAA stopped flights to Ben Gurion, Israelis were reported to be “glum”
I say we throw Israel into a deep depression with a boycott and AID suspension
Peace in week
Uh oh. Did Kerry not kowtow quickly enough?