While the US ‘Reviews,’ EU Calls for Disarming Hamas

American vacillation over demands to disarm terrorist groups in Gaza contrasts with Europe’s surprising support of Israeli position.

By Hillel Fendel, INN

Hamas terrorists parade rocket

Hamas terrorists parade rocket
Though the United States is still Israel’s “best friend,” it is the European Union which called again today for ”all terrorist groups in Gaza to disarm.”

The EU statement, issued in Brussels after a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on Friday, declared that a “return to the status quo prior to the latest conflict is not an option.”

Israel is pleased with the EU’s call for disarming Hamas. Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said, “Israel welcomes the [EU] ministers’ repeated calls for the terrorist organizations in Gaza to disarm.”

“A commitment to the principle of demilitarization, which will be implemented by an effective monitoring mechanism, will ensure that the situation changes fundamentally,” Palmor added.

On the other hand, the two top US Administration officials – President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry – have made it clear that disarming Gaza is not a priority. Asked if the Obama Administration endorses the Israeli demand to disarm Hamas, a top National Security official said only that “one would hope” that “some form of demilitarization” would be a result of a ceasefire. And Kerry didn’t even go that far; all he said was, “All of the issues of Gaza would be on the table.”

The Senate, on the other hand, has been outspoken about the need to disarm Hamas. It has not passed any formal resolutions to this effect, but many Senators have gone on record in favor of making this an integral feature of any ceasefire.

On Thursday, the day before the EU statement, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf spent several long minutes attempting to reconcile the Administration’s “review” of munitions deliveries to Israel and the “no change” in the general policy towards Israel. Specifically, she said, “Given the crisis in Gaza, it’s natural that agencies take additional care to review deliveries as part of an interagency process. That is by no means unusual and, again, does not indicate any change in policy.”

She then said this was not actually a “review,” but rather “taking a second look.”

Challenged as to the purpose of a “second look” if there was no policy change, she again called it a review, then later changed it to “looking again,” etc.

Back and forth the point was belabored; one reporter asked, “If you’re undertaking a review with a lowercase ‘r’, or a second look or – again, whatever you want to call it – that that would stand to reason that perhaps at the end of that look that you might make some kind of policy change.”

Harf negated this, and so on and so forth, until finally one impatient correspondent asked, “Can we go to Ukraine, please?”

 

August 18, 2014 | 155 Comments »

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  2. @ bernard ross:

    Listen , BR, if you think you have the smoking gun , proof positive for all your plots, Obama being the head of Al Queda (or ISIS? well whatever) etc, I’m the wrong guy, I’m just a citizen – you need to take it to the CIA or the NYT or some organization like that and they can help you far more than I can.
    I’d take it easy with that world “Benghazi” it seems to be a PTSD stress trigger for you.
    OK? Good Luck
    Ta-ta
    Take it easy.
    Don’t call me, I’ll call you.

  3. Max Said:

    Bernard ross Said:
    “did you notice that the security at the so called consulate was local hired jihadi militia?

    Max Said:
    Yeah And they spoke Martian too , didn’t they? And it proves Syria doesn’t even exist – it’s a false flag because it’s a false country invented by Russia in 1932.
    Also the American revolution didn’t exist – it was a Jihadi plot invented by the Islamic propagandist called George Washington. You do nothing but post paranoia and inference , not one single hard fact for your conclusions that is publicly observable to all.
    Count me out – find another more gullible audience.

    Looks like its time for big mouth mad max to eat crow again

    Obviously this fool reads nothing wrt his posts. I have never known anyone to be a greater buffoon. You would think this idiot would google it before he opened his ignorant mouth:

    Further, leaders of the local Libyan militia known as “‘The February 17 Martyrs Brigade” — which was tapped to provide security at the U.S. compound in Benghazi — not only didn’t respond to help save American lives, but may have directly participated in the 2012 attack on Americans. This has prompted criticism of the State Department for its original decision to contract with the powerful militia.

    According to multiple sources, the department selected the militia over multiple other militia groups, private companies and even U.S. Marines to protect and secure the American consulate in Benghazi, despite the fact that those on the ground questioned the decision. As one special operator noted, “They may have been sold as the best option … but it was a terrible option. Only D.C. trusted them.”

    Sources also say militia leaders may have helped orchestrate and directly participated in the attack — even though they were being paid, being fed, given automobiles and even allowed to swim in the consulate pool by the U.S. State Department. Fox News also has learned that the leader of the brigade, Fawzi Bukhatif, left Benghazi the day the attack ended on Sept. 12, even as the consulate and annex were still smoldering and Americans were standing on the Benghazi tarmac waiting to get out.

    “It is truly one of the worst outsourcing decisions of all time,” said another source with direct knowledge of the attack.
    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/07/22/nothing-was-done-militia-blamed-for-benghazi-attack-moved-next-door-to-us/

    Just google it and you can find more MSM saying the same. You have a massive vaccum of knowledge about the ME. I have yet to hear you make one knowledgeable comment on the subject.

    Are you man enough to apologize for all your ad hominem? I doubt it. dont you even make the slightest effort to read something about subjects you comment on?

    You have again become a cartoon character, a ludicrous buffoon, psycho-babbling along, making ignorant comments with no support,insulting posters when you are caught being clueless…….apparently you have interesting conversations with yourself.