US Supports Israeli Attack on Gaza Strip

Obama Says Hamas Needs to Stop Retaliating

Yesterday’s de facto ceasefire is over, and Israel is now attacking the Gaza Strip in what officials say will be a protracted round of attacks aimed at proving Israel retains a “deterrent” capability.

Within hours of the ceasefire collapsing, the Obama Administration was loudly cheering the attack, insisting Israel has a “right” to launch such attacks as part of its “self-defense” and condemning Hamas for retaliatory rocket fire.

The State Department was the first to issue a statement, along with a travel warning for Americans who may be going to southern Israel. The statement insisted there was “no justification” for Hamas to launch any attacks, and claiming Israel was trying not to kill civilians.

President Obama’s own statement was in much the same vein, insisting that Hamas stop retaliating against southern Israel as a way to “deescalate” the situation. It seems unlikely Hamas’ actions will have any impact either way, however, as Israeli officials are openly talking about making this a long campaign of strikes, and one that, as usual, the US will continue to defend in the international community.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.