It takes the Palestinians less than two weeks to torch the former synagogues, loot the greenhouses, open the borders for days to terrorists, permit massive armed rallies by terrorist organizations, and begin missile barrages into Israel, and here’s the reaction at today’s press briefing at the State Department:
QUESTION: What do you make of the statement by Hamas over the weekend that it’s halting all attacks against Israelis? Do you welcome this statement? Are you taking it with a bit of skepticism? Do you think this is enough to calm the recent violence that happened over the weekend?
MR. MCCORMACK: . . . What we have done is we have, over the weekend, been in touch with both sides, with Israeli officials, with Palestinian officials. We’ve urged all to help maintain an atmosphere of calm, free from violence. We have also made it very clear that these sorts of violent attacks, these sorts of terror attacks can’t happen. And the Palestinian Authority has the responsibility. They have taken actions to try to prevent such future attacks; that is very important. It is important that they take up their obligations to stop terror attacks, to dismantle terrorist organizations.
We also understand Israel’s right to defend itself, but in taking actions to defend itself, we ask Israel to consider the effect that its actions may have on reaching the overall goal that all share of achieving two states living side by side in peace and security.
The State Department contacted both sides not to use violence, after one of them did. State always reminds “all” of their obligation not to use violence. (It’s not clear why violence even occurs, since State has made it “very clear” that terror attacks “can’t happen”).
State’s position is that Israel can defend itself, as long as it subordinates its defense to the “overall goal” of “two states living side by side in peace and security” (“2 States, S/S, in P&S™”). Apparently, 2 States, S/S, in P&S™ might be endangered by too much Israeli action against terrorism.
Asked to provide “some examples of how the Palestinian Authority has taken action against Hamas” (since the PA “invited them into elections”) the State Department spokesman said “Well . . . they have taken some actions to maintain an atmosphere,” without specifying what the actions were. No actions involving any of the 50,000 PA “police” have yet been reported.