Hillary Clinton defends Israel on Gaza

[JI7]

Hillary Clinton on Monday repeatedly stressed that Israel was “provoked” by Hamas in the current conflict roiling the Middle East, offering among her strongest statements yet concerning the hostilities in Gaza.

The former secretary of state and possible 2016 Democratic front-runner delivered those comments during a question-and-answer session at the Twitter headquarters in San Francisco. She weighed in on the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in several interviews last week as well, criticizing the leadership of Hamas as Israel launched a ground invasion into Gaza in response to rockets Hamas was lobbing into the country.

“You mention, in particular, the difficulties we currently are seeing in the Middle East,” she said, in response to a question about how Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces use Twitter. “Because of the actions by Hamas, first to rain rockets onto Israel, Israel being provoked — because I do think that was part of the Hamas calculation, to provoke Israel to respond, to defend itself, which any nation has to do if you are under attack like that, and then we see the unfortunate effects of any conflict with innocent people being caught in the crossfires.”

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/07/hillary-clinton-israel-gaza-109210.html

[geek tragedy]

1. Hillary would be refreshing in a way.

She would drop the phony baloney "honest broker" nonsense and go with the more candid "we're gonna support Israel no matter what they do, and if you don't like it go pound sand."

Depressing but at least honest. And Palestinians could go about seeking recognition as a state rather than getting dragged into yet another "help the US feel good about itself " negotiations.

[joshcryer]

4. Her view on Charlie Rose was more diplomatic:

As opposed to "can you blame Israel for defending itself?"

"I would prefer Israel not (invade)." But at least she admits one thing in that interview, she's "not on the inside." That's more refreshing to me from a candid point of view. If you don't know, then you can't answer the question exactly.

[Larkspur]

2. This is a typical from someone who doesn't want to offend AIPAC and other pro-Israel

Jews who could contribute to her Prez campaign.

She just regurgitates Israeli propaganda and does her best to keep Americans blind to the oppression that Israel maintains over Palestinians when the rockets are not being fired.

[jaysunb]

3. End of the line for me and Mrs Clinton...

if nominated I will reluctantly cast my vote for her, but I will work like hell to see that she is not nominated.

[killbotfactory]

5. The IDF seems to have made an art of provocation

Am I imagining things when I thought I read something about Israel rounding up hundreds of people in the search for 3 teenagers who were kidnapped? When the prime suspects were 2 people according to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_kidnapping_and_murder_of_Israeli_teenagers

And then there's stuff like this:

Their names are Jawhar Nasser Jawhar, 19, and Adam Abd al-Raouf Halabiya, 17. They were once soccer players in the West Bank. Now they are never going to play sports again. Jawhar and Adam were on their way home from a training session in the Faisal al-Husseini Stadium on January 31 when Israeli forces fired upon them as they approached a checkpoint. After being shot repeatedly, they were mauled by checkpoint dogs and then beaten. Ten bullets were put into Jawhar’s feet. Adam took one bullet in each foot. After being transferred from a hospital in Ramallah to King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, they received the news that soccer would no longer be a part of their futures. (Israel’s border patrol maintains that the two young men were about to throw a bomb.)

http://www.thenation.com/blog/178642/after-latest-incident-israels-future-fifa-uncertain

Do Israeli security forces shoot the feet of all Palestinians suspected of throwing a bomb as a matter of security or... ???

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. As expected. Neo-Con/Neo-Lib states her views and cashes in.

[Comrade Grumpy]

7. Hey, Hillary, defend this:

&bpctr=1406011115

[sabrina 1]

8. Gee, poor Israel, doing the bidding of Hamas. This must be one of the

prepared statements as this is the umpteenth time I've heard it now. 'Hamas provoked Israel in order to make them look bad after they forced them to kill Palestinian children'.

Israel plays into Hamas' hands and gives them what they want? Not a very good prepared statement. In fact it is downright ridiculous. The OBVIOUS thing to do IF you know someone is setting you up is to NOT LET them set you up.

So sad, I used to have so much respect for Hillary.

[RobertEarl]

9. I forget, JI7

Is this supposed to be a "Support Hillary" post or a "Slam on Hillary" post?

[mylye2222]

10. She is just w.hat she always had been: driven by money and political gain

Given the situation, its an incredible coward gesture, and will either not help her to humanize her if she runs.

[dembotoz]

11. i am shocked i tell you--shocked