Clinton to Visit Middle East as Gaza Crisis Escalates
U.S.
President Barack Obama dispatched Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the
Middle East on Tuesday in an attempt to
Clinton
will meet with leaders in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Cairo, marking the Obama
administration's most forceful
engagement (AP) in the weeklong conflict that has killed more than 100
Palestinians and three Israelis. While Egypt has been trying to broker a
cease-fire with the help of Qatar and Turkey, a decision on whether to launch
a ground invasion (Haaretz) of Gaza was put off by at least a day
after Israel decided Monday to give Egypt more time.
Analysis
"For
years Hamas has been in an axis with Iran, Syria and Hezbollah. Yet now it
relies on strong alliances with Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar. Hamas will want these
powers to back it in its new
armed struggle. But these three states should push Hamas down the road of
restraint and reconciliation," writes a Financial Times editorial.
"The
recent call from some western leaders for a 'de-escalation' of the crisis by
asking Hamas to stop firing the rockets and pleading with Israel not to wreck
'international support' only shows
impotence. There is a clear lack of leadership from Western leaders,
particularly the U.S. administration," writes Muhammad Abdul Bari for Al
Jazeera.
"Those
who refused to condemn the attacks on Israeli citizens have no right to condemn
Israel's response to establish peace and quiet for its citizens. This is the basic
obligation of any sovereign nation, and we will continue taking any action
necessary to achieve this aim," writes Danny Ayalon for the
Guardian.
