U.S. condemns rocket fire against Israel

[King_David]

(Reuters) - The White House condemned rocket attacks against Israel that reached as far as Tel Aviv and expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself on Tuesday.

"We strongly condemn the continuing rocket fire inside of Israel and the deliberate targeting of civilians by terrorist organizations in Gaza," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a news briefing. "No country can accept rocket fire aimed at civilians and we support Israel's right to defend itself against these vicious attacks."



http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/08/us-palestinians-israel-usa-idUSKBN0FD21Z20140708

[Scootaloo]

1. But can't bring itself to condemn the bludgeoning of a 16 year old American boy by Israeli thugs

Your tax dollars - and for some of you, long and hard advocacy - at work

[King_David]

2. US backs Israeli ‘right to defend itself,’ UN chief condemns rockets

The US and UN condemned ongoing rocket fire into Israel Tuesday, amid calls for both sides to pull back escalating violence between Gaza-based Hamas and Israel on Tuesday



United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday condemned the rocket attacks from Gaza and called on both sides of the conflict to halt aggressions.




Ban “reiterates his call on all actors to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further civilian casualties and overall destabilization,” his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

He added that Ban “condemns the recent multiple rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza” and that “these indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas must stop.”

Israeli strikes on Gaza Tuesday killed 15 people and wounded around 100, local emergency services said, as the military launched an aerial campaign against Hamas and other groups in the Strip.

Army figures showed that Gaza-based terror groups fired 130 rockets at southern Israel since midnight without causing any casualties, while the air force struck 150 “terror targets” in Gaza.


Read more: US backs Israeli ‘right to defend itself,’ UN chief condemns rockets | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-backs-israeli-right-to-defend-itself-un-chief-condemns-rockets/#ixzz36vjVAzDt
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[Scootaloo]

4. Interesting reply.

Which of those kicks to the face of a downed and bound little boy was the most defensive-looking, in your opinion?

[King_David]

7. Wrong thread,

In this thread we are talking about :' U.S. condemns rocket fire.'


You maybe were looking for this thread?


http://www.democraticunderground.com/113466518

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

10. It's the right thread dave.

Scoot has a point. So duck and cover as you usually do.

[Scootaloo]

12. No, it's very much the right thread

The United States very strongly condemns rocket attacks that, so far, have injured... what, a few birds, maybe a rabbit? That's what lives in empty fields, right? Sucks for the birds and rabbits I guess.

But the same United States very meekly mumbles platitudes about "excessive force" in general, demurring to speak of the specific case where a pack of gibbering thugs beat the living SHIT out of a little boy on the US's dime.

of course, missed in the gung-ho, full-throated support for Israel's... what would you call it, a defensive offensive?" against Gaza, is that it will invariably involve vast amounts of excessive force being used.it's kind of the hallmark of such things - to the point where even among Israel's supporters, the only praise offered is for Israel's "restraint" in not just eradicating the Palestinians wholesale.

it's an interesting contrast worthy of observation.

[Duckhunter935]

6. The state department has in a way

"We are profoundly troubled by reports that he was severely beaten while in police custody and strongly condemn any excessive use of force. We are calling for a speedy, transparent and credible investigation and full accountability for any excessive use of force," Psaki said.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2014/07/us-urges-israel-probe-teen-beating-20147613915449450.html

US condemns attack on American teenager by Israeli police

The United States has condemned an attack on an American teenager who was reportedly badly beaten by Israeli police during riots in east Jerusalem. The youth is the cousin of a Palestinian teen killed Wednesday.

http://www.dw.de/us-condemns-attack-on-american-teenager-by-israeli-police/a-17761235

[Scootaloo]

9. In a way, yes

In a generic, can-we-not-talk-about-this kind of way.

QUESTION: First, do you have any update on the American citizen who was detained and that was then put under house arrest?

MS. PSAKI: I don’t know if I have much of an update since yesterday, Matt, but let me provide you --

QUESTION: Well, has he been – has anyone gone to visit him? Have you looked at his – has he – is his health okay?

MS. PSAKI: Well first, our – we visited him in the – an official from the U.S. Consulate General visited him on July 5th and attended his hearing on July 6th. We’ve also seen the family. I don’t have anything else to read out for you in terms of his health.

Obviously, this is a case where we remain deeply concerned about the reports. In fact, we remain shocked that he was severely beaten while in police custody and strongly have condemned that, and any use of excessive force, of course. We’re calling – and I would reiterate our call for a speedy and transparent and credible investigation. As I understand it, he’s been interviewed for that, and so that’s moving forward.

QUESTION: You remain shocked?

MS. PSAKI: Well, we are shocked.

QUESTION: You’re shocked --

QUESTION: Well, it sounds like --

QUESTION: You’re shocked when a --

MS. PSAKI: We continue to be shocked.

QUESTION: Okay.

QUESTION: What you were saying, I think on Thursday or in your statements over the weekend, that you remain concerned about reports that he was apparently beaten. And now you’re saying that you’re shocked that he was beaten. So it seems as if like – it doesn’t seem as if there’s any doubt, really, now. I mean, there might be a doubt as to how it happened, or the extent of it, or whether what he did – the Israeli Ambassador said that he was provoking, that he wasn’t an innocent bystander, that kind of implied that he asked for it.

MS. PSAKI: Well, Elise, a couple things, as you know, happened over the weekend. One, of course, we – our consulate – a representative from our Consulate General was able to see him. And obviously, he’s been released and is with his family now at this time. And of course, I’ve seen the comments, and our view is an arrest is justified for anyone who is guilty of committing a crime. And obviously, there’s an investigation; there’ll be a process to review that. But beating an arrestee after they are subdued and in custody is never justified. So we will let the process see itself through. But certainly, we’ve all seen him and we’ve been in touch with him, and we are continuing to call for a credible investigation.

QUESTION: Have you formally demarched the Israeli Government about it?

MS. PSAKI: We’ve been in close touch with the government, but I’m not aware of a specific demarche.

QUESTION: Do you have any concerns about the – an Israeli investigation into this incident?

MS. PSAKI: We’ve seen Prime Minister Netanyahu and other officials express strong concern about a range of these reports, and they’ve expressed a commitment to seeing through an investigation.

QUESTION: All right. Now meanwhile, in southern Israel --

QUESTION: Well, can we just stay on this for one second?

QUESTION: Yeah.

MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.

QUESTION: I understand that Secretary Kerry spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu over the weekend. Was this case in particular brought up, or was it about the larger kind of escalating violence?

MS. PSAKI: He reiterated – the Secretary did speak with the prime minister about a range of incidents that are happening on the ground, Elise. And certainly, the focus was on reiterating our concern about escalating tensions. And the Secretary, of course, urged Prime Minister Netanyahu – as he’s urged both parties – to exercise restraint and avoid steps that could further destabilize the situation.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2014/07/228782.htm

Heartwarming, the passion with which the US defends its own children.

[shira]

8. Reality Check: The state of Israel didn't intentionally murder that kid.

In fact, they acted quickly to catch the perpetrators and unequivocally condemn the act, as did pretty much everyone in Israel.

[Scootaloo]

11. No, the state of Israel intentionally beat the living fuck out of him

After Israelis intentionally poured petrol all over his cousin and lit him up like it was a luau.

[shira]

13. The police did that. Similar to the California officer...

http://www.businessinsider.com/police-officer-caught-beating-up-a-woman-2014-7

Think the Obama administration should address it? Tax dollars and all that…

Speaking of tax dollars, you're paying Hamas now that they're in with the PA. How do you feel about those tax dollars? Not that I expect an answer, mind you...

[Scootaloo]

14. Oh boy, you REALLY need to poke out of I/P once in a while, Shira

You'd see where I stand on officers like the one in the video. They are the one and only exception to my opposition to the death penalty. I do not think Jeffrey Damher should have been put to death - lock him in a plexiglass room with a TV, toilet, and al lthe top ramen he could ever fucking want, but don't kill him.

That cop, and others like him? Well, see, when you put your trust in someone to defend your community, in the way we do with the police... and that trust is exploited by these rabid skinheaded man-stumps who then become a lethal peril to that community? Well...

Of course you don't know me half as well as you think, so i don't think you'll understand just how huge it is that i draw such an exception... But such as it is. Should the Obama administration address it? Fuck yes. This is why we HAVE the FBI, isn't it? My only question is whether the FBI actually has the resources allotted to it that would be needed to purge America's various police forces of these steroided no-neck nazi dog-rapists.

As for "paying Hamas," if US tax dollars are going to their "military wing" that's embezzlement, and needs to fucking stop. But all $3bn of our annual Arab-scalp bounty paid to israel goes towards subsidizing its military - including the occupation "police." That's an important distinction that needs to be made.

[shira]

15. I'm with you all the way on corrupt police thugs. And of course....

...our tax dollars are going to terrorist causes, both within Gaza and the W.Bank. No point kidding ourselves...

Tell me - would you support $3 billion annually to Israel that only goes towards Iron Dome and the like?

[Scootaloo]

18. No, I wouldn't

But the reason for that has nothing to do with Israel or anything - it's just that I'm a socialist, and spending $3bn annually on the military of any other nation, while kids here are hungry at school, offends me deeply. Spending money on our own military while bridges crumble and towns collapse is abhorrent, why would I want to subsidize someone else's goon squad?

However it would be preferable if our spending on Israel came with all the same strings that our spending on Palestine does.

[azurnoir]

16. US tax dollars are subsidizing the Israeli police that spread the rumor about the Palestinian boy

who was burned to death was Gay, hadn't thought of that

but Jeffery Dahmer was not executed he was murdered by another inmate

[Scootaloo]

19. My mistake

I was thinking of Ted Bundy. Same deal, really.

[King_David]

3. US condemns Gaza rocket attacks on Israel

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by telephone about the escalating security situation in southern Israel • State Department spokeswoman: We support Israel's right to defend itself against rocket attacks.






http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=18651

[King_David]

5. U.S. calls for restraint, confirms Israel’s right to defense

The United States wants calm restored in the south and condemns the rocket and missile fire from Gaza, while urging both sides to avoid harm to innocent civilians, a senior U.S. official told the Haaretz Israel Conference for Peace on Tuesday.

“Israel has the right to defend itself,” said Philip Gordon, special assistant to the president and White House coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf.

Labor Party chairman and opposition leader MK Isaac Herzog addressed the escalation in the south, saying that if he were prime minister, he would be “meting out a harsh blow to Hamas and traveling to the Muqata,” the Palestinian president’s Ramallah headquarters, to speak with Mahmoud Abbas.

“The bad guys are launching missiles incessantly and don’t understand Israel’s desire for containment,” Herzog said. “It’s time to restore deterrence. In the end, we cannot accept missile barrages. Whoever looks at the Middle East from the outside understands that there are good guys and bad guys.”

Despite the persistent rocket fire that continued into last night, most of the speakers at the Tel Aviv conference focused on the peace process with the Palestinians, the failure of the last round of negotiations, the chances of reaching an agreement that will result in a Palestinian state and Israel’s security requirements in the framework of such an agreement.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.603891

[azurnoir]

17. UN condemns rockets

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday condemned the rocket attacks from Gaza and called on both sides of the conflict to halt aggressions.

Ban “reiterates his call on all actors to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further civilian casualties and overall destabilization,” his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

He added that Ban “condemns the recent multiple rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza” and that “these indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas must stop.”

http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-backs-israeli-right-to-defend-itself-un-chief-condemns-rockets/