US State Department Victoria spokeswoman carefully avoided the word cease-fire in her Washington press briefing and referred instead to de-escalation.She said that what was needed was to end the rocket fire and restore calm, to create space to address “broader issues.”Clinton as well as US President Barack Obama have been in touch with Egyptian, Israeli and European leaders in the past days, Nuland said.Obama on Tuesday spoke on the telephone with Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi about ways to restore calm.Clinton’s arrival followed on the heels of a visit by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. He spent the morning in Cairo, from where Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has worked to mediate an end to the violence.Ban then arrived in Israel to meet with Israeli leaders. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle who was in Israel Tuesday morning flew to Cairo.At a joint press conference with Ban,Netanyahu said, “If a long term diplomatic solution can be put in place through diplomatic means, than Israel would be a willing partner.”Already on Sunday, Israel agreed to hold off on a ground offensive into Gaza, to allow time for diplomacy to work.But, Netanyahu told Ban, “if stronger military actions proves necessary to stop the constant barrage of rockets Israel will not hesitate to do what is necessary to defend our people.”Since Israel launched Operation Pillar of Defense on Wednesday, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Germany have staunchly defended its right to protect its citizens from Hamas rocket attacks.But a number international leaders have cautioned that they would not support a ground offensives.Ban went further and hinted to Netanyahu that it could be illegal under international law.Netanyahu said that Hamas was committing a “double war crime, by indiscriminately targeting Israeli civilians while they hide behind their own.“The moment we draw symmetry between the victims of terror and the unintended casualties that result from legitimate military action against the terrorists, the minute that false symmetry is drawn, the terrorists win,” he said.As someone who only nine months ago visited Sderot, Ban said, “I know how difficult the situation is here.” But he added, a ground operation would only result in further tragedy.Reuters and jpost.com staff contributed to this report
Clinton arrives in J'lem as Gaza truce is postponed
Following reports of an imminent cease-fire, Hamas official says Egyptian efforts to broker a truce held up because the Israeli government has yet to respond to proposals; CNN: Egypt has no plans to announce truce yet.
US State Department Victoria spokeswoman carefully avoided the word cease-fire in her Washington press briefing and referred instead to de-escalation.She said that what was needed was to end the rocket fire and restore calm, to create space to address “broader issues.”Clinton as well as US President Barack Obama have been in touch with Egyptian, Israeli and European leaders in the past days, Nuland said.Obama on Tuesday spoke on the telephone with Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi about ways to restore calm.Clinton’s arrival followed on the heels of a visit by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. He spent the morning in Cairo, from where Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has worked to mediate an end to the violence.Ban then arrived in Israel to meet with Israeli leaders. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle who was in Israel Tuesday morning flew to Cairo.At a joint press conference with Ban,Netanyahu said, “If a long term diplomatic solution can be put in place through diplomatic means, than Israel would be a willing partner.”Already on Sunday, Israel agreed to hold off on a ground offensive into Gaza, to allow time for diplomacy to work.But, Netanyahu told Ban, “if stronger military actions proves necessary to stop the constant barrage of rockets Israel will not hesitate to do what is necessary to defend our people.”Since Israel launched Operation Pillar of Defense on Wednesday, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Germany have staunchly defended its right to protect its citizens from Hamas rocket attacks.But a number international leaders have cautioned that they would not support a ground offensives.Ban went further and hinted to Netanyahu that it could be illegal under international law.Netanyahu said that Hamas was committing a “double war crime, by indiscriminately targeting Israeli civilians while they hide behind their own.“The moment we draw symmetry between the victims of terror and the unintended casualties that result from legitimate military action against the terrorists, the minute that false symmetry is drawn, the terrorists win,” he said.As someone who only nine months ago visited Sderot, Ban said, “I know how difficult the situation is here.” But he added, a ground operation would only result in further tragedy.Reuters and jpost.com staff contributed to this report