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| Kerry Expresses Exasperation |
| Kerry Expresses Exasperation With Civilian Toll in Gaza
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| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
, 21-July-2014
7:3:26 AM |
| Secretary of State John F. Kerry strongly criticized Palestinian leaders Sunday for rejecting a cease-fire plan, but he also appeared - in comments captured by a live microphone - to express exasperation with the high cost in civilian lives as Israel pressed its ground attack on Gaza. (UN Calls for Immediate Truce as Gaza Toll Tops 500)
Kerry, who was expected to leave shortly for the region, had a scheduled sweep of the five major network television programs when, between interviews, he spoke by cellphone to an unidentified aide.
Chris Wallace, the interviewer for "Fox News Sunday," confronted Kerry with a tape of those remarks during his appearance on that program. In it, Kerry is heard to say: "It's a hell of a pinpoint operation. It's a hell of a pinpoint operation. We've got to get over there. Thank you, Jon. I think, Jon, we ought to go tonight. I think it's crazy to be sitting around."
The State Department later identified the aide as Jonathan Finer, Kerry's deputy chief of staff, who accompanies him on his trips.
The comments were without context, but Wallace's questioning and Kerry's reply seemed to make clear that the secretary had been speaking ironically about a "pinpoint operation" to express that he was disturbed by the deaths of Palestinian civilians, including many children, in an operation aimed at the militant extremists who have been smuggling arms into Gaza and raining rockets on Israel.
Asked if he was "upset that the Israelis are going too far," Kerry replied: "It's very, very difficult in these situations."
He continued: "I reacted, obviously, in a way that anybody does with respect to young children and civilians."
But on that program and the others, Kerry vociferously defended Israel's right to take action, including efforts to destroy some of the hundreds of tunnels used by Hamas to smuggle arms and fighters
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