Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., January 29, 2009 Shvat 4, 5769 | | Israel Time: 16:41 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 19:42 27/01/2009
Clinton: Israel has right to respond to Gaza rocket attacks
By News Agencies
Tags: iran, israel news 

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday that Israel had a right to defend itself and that Palestinian rocket attacks on the Jewish
territory could not go unanswered.

"We support Israel's right to self-defense. The [Palestinian] rocket barrages which are getting closer and closer to populated areas [in Israel] cannot go unanswered," Clinton said in her first news conference at the State Department.
Advertisement
"It is regrettable that the Hamas leadership apparently believes that it is in their interest to provoke the right of self-defense instead of building a better future for the people of Gaza," she added.

Clinton also said that U.S. President Barack Obama's first days in office have made it clear that a more open Iranian approach to the international community could benefit Iran. She said this was reflected in statements Obama made in an interview Monday with an Arab TV network.

"There is a clear opportunity for the Iranians, as the president expressed in his interview, to demonstrate some willingness to engage meaningfully with the international community," she said. "Whether or not that hand becomes less clenched is really up to them."

She said the administration is undertaking a wide-ranging and comprehensive survey of U.S. policy options toward Iran.

"There is just a lot that we are considering that I'm not prepared to discuss," she added.

More broadly, Clinton said her initial round of telephone calls with world leaders has yielded positive signs.

"There's a great exhalation of breath going on around the world as people
express their appreciation for the new direction that's being set and the team that's [been] put together by the president," she said.

"In areas of the world that have felt either overlooked or not receiving
appropriate attention to the problems they are experiencing, there's a
welcoming of the engagement that we are promising," she said.

"It's not any kind of repudiation or indictment of the past eight years so much as an excitement and an acceptance of how we are going to be doing business."

She dismissed suggestions that Obama's foreign policy team would find it
difficult to work together. She said all are determined to find the best way to execute the president's foreign policy objectives.

"We have a lot of damage to repair," she said, referring to U.S. foreign
relations as they stood when President George W. Bush left office January 20.

Clinton said she spoke by telephone today with top Iraqi officials to make clear that there will be continuity in U.S. policy.

She said her call was intended to reinforce our commitment to a democratic and sovereign Iraq and the importance of their provincial elections. Iraqis are scheduled to vote on Saturday in a set of elections that U.S. and Iraqi officials hope will further solidify progress toward national political reconciliation.

Related articles:
  • Obama envoy Mitchell in Cairo on first leg of Mideast tour
  • Obama: We will aggressively seek lasting Middle East peace
  • Obama: Time for Palestinians, Israel to resume peace talks
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Detaining rights
    Rights groups: IDF subjected Gaza detainees to deplorable conditions.
    Putin vs. Barak
    Did Barak quote Putin or did Putin quote Barak with the "on the toilet" statement?
      1.   hilary always was bush in drag 19:23  |  she is an idiot 27/01/09
      2.   Clinton to AIPAC. `Please keep up your donations`. 19:32  |  Pete 27/01/09
      3.   Hillary Clintons remarks are a helluva lot better than Rices` 19:32  |  ROBOCP 27/01/09
      4.   #1 & #2 21:58  |  Eric 27/01/09
      5.   Moral latitude 22:31  |  Ramzi, a Palestinian 27/01/09
      6.   Right of Force 22:33  |  Bruce T. Boccardy 27/01/09
      7.   Should the right to self-defense be negotiable ? 22:34  |  Joseph.E 27/01/09
      8.   Uh oh, do I detect trouble in Paradise? 22:34  |  Lynn 27/01/09
      9.   "getting closer to populated areas" 22:43  |  Baruch Gold 27/01/09
      10.   It is a pity that she can`t say 23:44  |  KenB 27/01/09
      11.   ADD 23:56  |  Joseph 27/01/09
      12.   Palestinian Right to Self-Defense 23:59  |  Binyamin 27/01/09
      13.   Clinton`s orders 00:08  |  Ali 28/01/09
      14.   May G-d bless Israel and America 00:57  |  Eugenio 28/01/09
      15.   define, "new direction" 01:08  |  cwarn 28/01/09
      16.   Hillary will be the servant, Obama will be the master..... 01:15  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/01/09
      17.   Clinton starts out on wrong foot: Israel had peaceful alternative 01:15  |  Ivar 28/01/09
      18.   #6 Bruce of Boston...Arabs don`t like Hamas either. 02:53  |  Lynn 28/01/09
      19.   #16 Swiss...he will do what is the best interest of the US 02:58  |  Lynn 28/01/09
      20.   Shalit 07:48  |  proudliberal 28/01/09
      21.   Some objectivity Mrs Clinton? 12:41  |  Amira 28/01/09
      22.   Gaza 17:28  |  John Sanders 28/01/09
      23.   John Sanders -- spinning the events 18:16  |  idf_sergeant 28/01/09
      24.   Just Telling The Truth Here 18:55  |  John 28/01/09
      25.   # 1 you are right 19:26  |  US Person 28/01/09
      26.   IDF sergeant confused 05:40  |  Robert 29/01/09
      27.   What about duties? 15:17  |  alberto 29/01/09
      28.   re Palestinian right to self defense 15:38  |  chris 29/01/09
      29.   Respone to Robert 16:28  |  Erwin 29/01/09
     Haaretz Hot Topics
    Conflict in Gaza
    Israel vs. Hamas
    Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
    Israel goes to the polls
    More Headlines
    16:29 Israel officials face war crimes probe in Spain
    13:20 IDF wounds Gaza militant behind deadly attack on soldiers
    16:40 Iran FM: We`ll cooperate with U.S. if Obama changes policies
    11:48 Hamas: We will accept long-term truce if Gaza borders opened
    16:05 Turkish PM: Obama must rethink definition of Mideast terror
    11:23 Report: Obama aides drafting letter to Tehran aimed at thawing U.S.-Iran ties
    09:48 Intel sources: Gazan informants intercepted by Hamas during war
    16:01 Netanyahu: Neutralizing Iran would reduce danger of Hamas, Hezbollah
    08:45 For first time, U.S. professors call for academic and cultural boycott of Israel
    13:57 Police to question Olmert for 13th time in corruption probe
    08:53 Olmert, Barak and Livni tell Mitchell: We will respond to every Hamas violation of truce
    15:13 Iranian prostitutes and half-naked men: Saatchi promotes Mideast art
    08:41 IAF commander: Bombing of tunnels not a solution to Gaza arms smuggling
    14:58 UN launches emergency appeal for $613 million in aid for Gaza victims
    11:36 'Massive Hezbollah attack against Israeli target thwarted in Europe'
    10:19 Haaretz-Dialog poll: Extreme right party overtakes Labor in elections forecast
    13:23 Settlers not thrilled with Obama's Mideast envoy
    14:55 Israeli tennis player Andy Ram advances to Australian Open finals
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Summer in Israel
    Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
    Passover Vacations
    The BEST Passover Vacations around ? Mexico, Arizona and Florida
    Blue And White Forever Israel Army T-shirts
    Wear with Proud Donate the Soldiers Kit
    You can make a direct IMPACT!
    on the life of an Israeli soldier
    State of Israel Bonds
    During this time of market volatility, Israel bonds can help.
    SURF RAMBAM
    Keep current about new-wave medical care, education and research.
    Camp Kimama Israel 2009
    The best place for your children this summer
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
    | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved