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 Two to Tango - White House Press Briefing by Dana Perino 1/7/09 — Wednesday, January 07, 2009 —  Q A follow-up to the Mideast question. Is there anything more that the U.S. can do to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza? MS. PERINO: What we are looking -- the United States is deeply concerned about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. And that's one of the reasons that Secretary Rice has been working around the clock, and especially last night, literally around the clock, to work with the Israelis and also her counterparts around the world. We need urgently to conclude some sort of a cease-fire agreement that will be lasting, that would endure, and that would make sure that we can identify the three things that we wanted to do yesterday, that I mentioned yesterday, which is stop the rocket attacks, stop the smuggling, and also figure out a way to reopen that border in a way that's consistent with the 2005 access agreement. Q Do you have a timeline at all in mind? MS. PERINO: Look, she worked around the clock. We're working to do it as fast as we possibly can, but there's a lot of other actors here, as well. The easiest thing to stop the situation would be for Hamas to stop sending rockets into Israel. I think there were 35 that were sent from Gaza into Israel yesterday, and if that was to halt, I think a cease-fire would be something that would be achieved much more quickly than if they don't. Q -- stop the bombarding of the innocent Palestinians. The U.S. has not called for anything and the President gave the green light for this slaughter. MS. PERINO: First and foremost, the Israelis did not ask the United States' permission. I do not believe that the -- Q They didn't ask permission, but they got the backing. MS. PERINO: I do not believe the that Israelis are targeting innocent civilians. But we do know that innocent civilians have been caught up in this fighting, and that's why we are concerned about it. And they have halted -- Q They're not caught up, they're being bombarded. MS. PERINO: I think they are caught up in it. And I -- it's a terrible situation. You have one -- I think over a million people living in a very small area. The best thing that they could do for themselves is to have their leaders make a decision to renounce terror and violence, and at least, at the very least, to stop sending the rockets right now so that a cease-fire could be put in place that could be lasting. Q How about the U.S. vetoing any attempt for a cease-fire? MS. PERINO: What we are seeking is a cease-fire that would actually last. I think the worst thing that we could have is to have this vicious cycle continue. Q Why? Stop the killing. MS. PERINO: Well, would you say the same, that Hamas should stop the killing of innocent Israelis? Q Of course. MS. PERINO: Okay. Well, it's going to take two to tango here. And we need Hamas to make a decision -- Q But you won't even to talk to Hamas. MS. PERINO: Well, as you know, the Egyptians have been and we've been working with them, and Secretary Rice is talking with all of her counterparts. We do have, right now, a lull in the fighting, a halt to the fighting, so that more humanitarian aid can get to the people -- because it's not just the United States that's concerned about the humanitarian situation. Clearly the Arab world is -- but so are the Israelis. And that's why they're allowing humanitarian aid to get there. I think one of the things that they've been concerned about is that Hamas has been known to commandeer this aid and send it directly to their forces and not to the people who actually need it. Q They're the elected government there. MS. PERINO: They are neglecting to govern there. Q They are elected, but the Israelis continue to occupy all the checkpoints. MS. PERINO: But they -- they can be elected to govern, but they are neglecting to do so. And that is why the Gazans have been held hostage for the past year and a half, ever since Hamas decided to take over Gaza in the coup in 2007. And the humanitarian situation there was not great before this. Q And the U.S. broke off all relations once they won an election. MS. PERINO: No, we didn't talk to -- well, we didn't break off relations then, we have never had a relationship with Hamas. Q All aid, all aid. MS. PERINO: That is not true. The United States does provide aid through the United Nations for the people of Gaza, a lot of it. Dana Perino | Gaza | Hamas | Israel | Middle East | Press Briefing | War on Terror | White House Press Corps Labels: Dana Perino, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Middle East, Press Briefing, War on Terror, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 6:10:00 PM
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