Have you forgotten that Obama has not taken office yet? What about our current president, what has he had to say?
On Dec 30, 1:12 pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > drudge.com > By Mail Foreign Service > Last updated at 3:54 PM on 30th December 2008 > > Barack Obama remained silent over the violence in Gaza as Israel today > threatened to continue its attacks for weeks. > > Instead, the president-elect is continuing his 12-day Christmas > holiday in Hawaii and was seen enjoying a round of golf. > > He joined a group of friends at a private club near his £6million > rented, beach-front holiday home in Hawaii yesterday. > > Shh: Mr Obama, who is staying silent on the Israeli attacks, asks the > crowd to be quiet as he finishes his putt. Meanwhile, 9,000 miles away > in the Middle East, Israel rejected any truce with Hamas today and > said it was ready for 'long weeks of action' in the Gaza Strip. > > Observers said that at least ten people were killed and another 40 > injured as up to 16 bombs were dropped by Israeli warplanes during > early morning attacks. > > The targets included the offices of Hamas prime minister Ismael > Haniyeh, police stations and Gaza’s treasury and foreign ministry > buildings. > > Sites linked to Hamas’ military wing Izzadin Kazzam were also hit, > including the home of the Gaza division commander. > > The death toll so far in Gaza is estimated at 320, with five Israeli > fatalities, and hundreds of injuries. > > Grief: Palestinian mourners carry the body of four-year-old Haya > Hamdan in Gaza > > World leaders, including Gordon Brown and UN Secretary General Ban Ki- > Moon, have called for an immediate ceasefire. > > Mr Ban even said that Israel’s response attacks from Gaza amounted to > an ‘excessive use of force’. > > But Mr Obama has made the decision to leave all comments to outgoing > President George Bush, who has so far chosen only to attack Hamas. > > On the golf course, his security team even turned away a letter from > pro-Palestinian campaigners urging him to help stop the four-day-old > violence. > > Pensioner Robert Steiver, 65, of Honolulu, said he was disappointed > that the president-elect was not echoing the condemnation of other > world leaders. > > He told the Honolulu Advertsier: ‘I don't think he's taking a > vacation, he's preparing to be the next president. > > ‘I'm deathly afraid he'll continue the failed policies of the Bush > administration. I've been suffering with the Palestinians for years.’ > > Enlarge Palestinians look at destroyed houses after an Israeli air > strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip > > Earlier this week, his chief adviser David Axelrod said that Mr Obama > ‘recognises the special relationship between the United States and > Israel'. > > But despite trying to stay quiet, Mr Obama - who was wearing > sunglasses, a white shirt, khaki shorts, white and brown golf shoes, > and a red baseball cap – still couldn’t avoid any drama. > He was greeted by applause when he walked up to the 18th green - and > then, motioning for them to be quiet by putting a finger to his lips, > finished with a 20-yard putt. > > ‘That was pretty good, right?’ he said to more cheers as he went to > meet his fans. > It was Mr Obama's third visit to the Mid Pacific Country Club course > in Kalilua while on holiday. > But he may not be able to remain tight-lipped about Gaza for too long. > > As well as air strikes, Israel has also massed tanks, artillery and > soldiers on the border with Gaza in preparation for a possible ground > assault on the territory, with its defence minister warning that the > country is engaged in a ‘war to the bitter end’ against Hamas and its > allied militant supporters. > > Israel’s deputy defence minister Matan Vilnai said today that his > country was prepared for a prolonged struggle to protect its citizens > from the repeated missile attacks which have been launched from the > Gaza strip over recent months. > > ‘The army is prepared for a long operation,’ he said. ‘We have made > preparations for some long weeks of action.’ > > Hamas said that its squads had fired 43 home-made rockets, 17 longer- > range Grads and six mortar shells at Israel; other militant groups > have also fired rockets at Israel. > Further details emerged of earlier attacks by Israel against Hamas > targets. > > A grainy video taken by an Israeli drone plane showed several men > loading a pick-up truck with what the Israeli military said were > medium-range Grad rockets. > > Moments later, a big explosion from an Israeli missile strike envelops > the image. > In another air assault, an Islamic Jihad commander was killed walking > near his house, said Abu Hamza, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad’s > military wing. > Meanwhile there have been reports that Hamas militiamen have been > killing injured members of rivals Fatah in a brutal bid to relieve > hospital beds. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. 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