Bush, Olmert 'on the same page': White House
2008-12-31

Category United Nations Nations United Arab Emirates Israel Category Regions Regions Asia Middle East People George W. Bush Nicolas Sarkozy Ehud Olmert Condoleezza Rice Event 2009 Gaza War Hamas Gaza Conflict Israel-U.S. Source (AFP)

CRAWFORD, Texas (AFP) - The White House Wednesday backed Israel's refusal to cease its assault on Gaza, saying US President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert were "on the same page."

The Islamist movement Hamas must agree to stop firing rockets into Israel now and in the future before any potential ceasefire to the Gaza violence that began Saturday and has so far left nearly 400 Palestinians dead, White House deputy press secretary Gordon Johndroe said Wednesday.

"I think President Bush thinks that Hamas needs to stop firing rockets, and that is what will be the first steps in a ceasefire," Johndroe told reporters at Bush's Crawford, Texas ranch, adding that Hamas should also stop smuggling weapons to show "they don't intend to continue to target Israel."

"So I think they're certainly on the same page on that," Johndroe said of Bush and Olmert following the leaders' earlier phone call on the Gaza hostilities and the humanitarian situation in the territory.

Johndroe repeated that for the United States any ceasefire would have to be a "durable" one, in contrast to the previous six-month agreement that expired on December 19.

Bush has not spoken publicly about the Israeli offensive, now in its fifth day, launched in response to a barrage of rocket attacks from the Palestinian enclave controlled by Hamas since June 2007.

Olmert has so far rebuked mounting international calls to end the violence. He told the country's security cabinet on Wednesday that conditions were not yet ripe to halt the bombardment.

The operation has raised concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, a small, aid-dependent territory of 1.5 million people that has been crippled by Israel's blockade.

"President Bush got an assurance from Prime Minister Olmert that Israel is, as they have said they are doing, only targeting Hamas and that terrorist organization ... and that they are working to minimize any civilian casualties," said Johndroe, adding that "the onus is on Hamas."

Johndroe would not indicate whether Bush and Olmert had discussed a possible Israeli ground offensive, after Israel massed tanks on the Gaza border and authorized calling up 9,000 reservists for what it named its "all-out war" on Hamas.

But Johndroe said such an offensive would be "just part and parcel" of the anti-Hamas operation.

Hamas vowed to fight "until the last breath" if Israel makes good on threats for a ground invasion. The Israeli offensive has reduced much of Hamas's administrative infrastructure to rubble but has failed to stop rocket fire into Israel.

Since Saturday, militants have fired more than 250 rockets and mortar rounds at Israel, killing three civilians and one soldier and wounding several dozen people.

"The effort to bring about a ceasefire continues," State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid told reporters when asked if Washington was disappointed that efforts to broker a 48-hour truce failed to materialize.

He said US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has spoken with her Jordanian, Egyptian, United Arab Emirates and British counterparts. She has also been in touch with Olmert, King Abdullah II of Jordan and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

"The goal of her phone calls, the goal of the president's phone calls, the diplomacy the administration has engaged in, is to work with other countries to pressure Hamas, make them understand that a lasting, durable and respected ceasefire is the best thing for their own -- for the people of Gaza," Johndroe said.

Reacting to the deepening crisis and deteriorating humanitarian conditions, the Quartet on Middle East peace -- the United States, European Union, Russian and the United Nations -- and foreign ministers from Arab League nations have called for an immediate ceasefire.

The UN Security Council was to meet late Wednesday for closed-door consultations on Gaza after Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas appealed for a resolution imposing a ceasefire. He was set to meet Monday with the Council to discuss the situation.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy will travel to Egypt, Israel and the West Bank on Monday, his office announced. In a New Year's message, Sarkozy said he will visit the Middle East in a bid to "find a roadmap toward peace."