Kerry's hot mic reaction to Israeli war on Gaza

Monday, 21 July 2014

Kerry's hot mic reaction to Israeli war on Gaza

US Secretary of State John Kerry

Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:54PM GMT

Press TV

The US secretary of state in a conversation caught on an open microphone before an interview has apparently expressed his concern with the deadly Israeli attacks which have been killing civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip."It's a hell of a pinpoint operation. It's a hell of a pinpoint operation," said John Kerry in an apparent sarcastic remark aimed at Israeli authorities who claim they are trying to avoid civilian casualties by carrying out pinpoint operations against members of the Hamas resistance movement.

"We've got to get over there ... I think, John, we ought to go tonight. I think it's crazy to be sitting around," he added.

Kerry made the remarks while discussing the Israeli offensive with an off-camera aide and apparently unaware he was being recorded.

The Israeli military killed at least one hundred Gazans, reportedly over half of them women and children, on Sunday. The day was described by Palestinian officials as the deadliest one in past five years.

Kerry, however, once again expressed his country’s full support for Israel after "Fox News Sunday" broadcast the clip and asked him to explain about his remark.

“I said that publicly, and I'll say it again. We defend Israel's right to do what it is doing”, Kerry said.

More than 435 Palestinians have been killed and over 3,000 others have sustained injuries since Israel began pounding the Gaza Strip on July 8. The Israeli military has also launched a ground incursion into the impoverished coastal strip since July 17.

The Palestinian territory which has been under a crippling Israeli blockade since 2007 is now suffering from a humanitarian crisis as many people do not have access to water or electricity supply.

Medics have also been warning that a large number of those wounded have lost their lives due to lack of basic medical supplies.

Washington is a staunch ally of Tel Aviv. The US has been financially and militarily supporting Israel with American taxpayers’ money. Under an existing 10-year aid agreement between Washington and Tel Aviv signed in 2007, $30 billion of American money is flowing to Israel.

DT/DT