US president-elect Barack Obama Tuesday vowed to speak out about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict once he takes office, but insisted until then only President George W. Bush can speak for the US. “After January 20 I am going to have plenty to say about the issue,” Obama told reporters, rejecting criticism that he has failed to forcefully address the Israeli military onslaught on the Gaza Strip.
According to AFP, Obama said he was sticking by his campaign pledge that “at the beginning of our administration, we are going to engage effectively and consistently in trying to resolve the conflict that existed in the Middle East.
“I think it is not only right for the people in that region, most importantly, it is right for the national security of the American people and the stability that is so important to this country. “So on January 20, you will be hearing directly from me,” he vowed.
“Until then, my job is to monitor the situation, put together the best possible national security team so that we hit the ground running once we are responsible for national security issues.”
Obama said his transition team were monitoring the situation on a daily basis, adding: “The loss of civilian life in Gaza and in Israel is a source of deep concern for me.” But he added: “Right now President George Bush as president of the United States speaks on behalf of the US government and the American people when it comes to international affairs.”
Medics in the Gaza Strip said Tuesday that a total of 660 Palestinians, including 215 children and 98 women, have been killed since Israel launched its military offensive against Hamas militants on December 27.
The White House said Tuesday that it was confident that Israel was seeking to avoid civilian casualties and warned against jumping to conclusions after medics said an Israeli strike killed at least 40 in a UN school. “I saw the reports about the school. I don’t have any information about that. I think that we should not jump to conclusions and we should wait to find out what the evidence says,” spokeswoman Dana Perino said.
“What we do know is that Hamas often hides amongst innocents and uses innocent people, including children, as human shields.”
