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| Kerry Expresses Frustration Over Civilian Toll in Gaza | |
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| WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John F. Kerry strongly criticized Palestinian leaders on Sunday for rejecting a cease-fire plan, but he also appeared — in comments captured by a live microphone — to express exasperation with the high cost in civilian lives as Israel pressed its ground attack on Gaza. | WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John F. Kerry strongly criticized Palestinian leaders on Sunday for rejecting a cease-fire plan, but he also appeared — in comments captured by a live microphone — to express exasperation with the high cost in civilian lives as Israel pressed its ground attack on Gaza. |
| Mr. Kerry, who was expected to leave shortly for the region, had scheduled sweep of the five major network television programs when between interviews he spoke by cellphone to an unidentified aide. | Mr. Kerry, who was expected to leave shortly for the region, had scheduled sweep of the five major network television programs when between interviews he spoke by cellphone to an unidentified aide. |
| Chris Wallace, the interviewer for “Fox News Sunday,” confronted Mr. Kerry with a tape of those remarks during his appearance on that program. In it, Mr. Kerry is heard to say: “It’s a hell of a pinpoint operation. It’s a hell of a pinpoint operation. We’ve got to get over there. Thank you, John. I think, John, we ought to go tonight. I think it’s crazy to be sitting around.” | Chris Wallace, the interviewer for “Fox News Sunday,” confronted Mr. Kerry with a tape of those remarks during his appearance on that program. In it, Mr. Kerry is heard to say: “It’s a hell of a pinpoint operation. It’s a hell of a pinpoint operation. We’ve got to get over there. Thank you, John. I think, John, we ought to go tonight. I think it’s crazy to be sitting around.” |
| The State Department later identified the aide as Jonathan Finer, Mr. Kerry’s deputy chief of staff, who accompanies him on his trips. | The State Department later identified the aide as Jonathan Finer, Mr. Kerry’s deputy chief of staff, who accompanies him on his trips. |
| The comments were without context, but Mr. Wallace’s questioning and Mr. Kerry’s reply seemed to make clear that the secretary had been speaking ironically about a “pinpoint operation” to express that he was disturbed by the deaths of Palestinian civilians, including many children, in an operation aimed at the militant extremists who have been smuggling arms into Gaza and raining rockets on Israel. | The comments were without context, but Mr. Wallace’s questioning and Mr. Kerry’s reply seemed to make clear that the secretary had been speaking ironically about a “pinpoint operation” to express that he was disturbed by the deaths of Palestinian civilians, including many children, in an operation aimed at the militant extremists who have been smuggling arms into Gaza and raining rockets on Israel. |
| Asked if he was “upset that the Israelis are going too far,” Mr. Kerry replied: “It’s very, very difficult in these situations.″ | Asked if he was “upset that the Israelis are going too far,” Mr. Kerry replied: “It’s very, very difficult in these situations.″ |
| He continued: “I reacted, obviously, in a way that anybody does with respect to young children and civilians.” | He continued: “I reacted, obviously, in a way that anybody does with respect to young children and civilians.” |
| But on that program and the others, Mr. Kerry vociferously defended Israel’s right to take action, including efforts to destroy some of the hundreds of tunnels used by Hamas to smuggle arms and fighters. | But on that program and the others, Mr. Kerry vociferously defended Israel’s right to take action, including efforts to destroy some of the hundreds of tunnels used by Hamas to smuggle arms and fighters. |
| “We defend Israel’s right to do what it is doing in order to get at those tunnels,” he said on Fox, and he called Palestinian leaders “intransigent” for turning down a cease-fire plan put forth last week by Egypt. Since Israel did accept that proposal, he added, “it is important for Hamas to now step up and be reasonable and understand that you accept the cease-fire, you save lives, and that’s the way we can proceed.” | “We defend Israel’s right to do what it is doing in order to get at those tunnels,” he said on Fox, and he called Palestinian leaders “intransigent” for turning down a cease-fire plan put forth last week by Egypt. Since Israel did accept that proposal, he added, “it is important for Hamas to now step up and be reasonable and understand that you accept the cease-fire, you save lives, and that’s the way we can proceed.” |
| Asked about Mr. Kerry’s comment on the open microphone, Jen Psaki, the State Department spokeswoman, asserted that it was consistent with the Obama administration’s public statements. | Asked about Mr. Kerry’s comment on the open microphone, Jen Psaki, the State Department spokeswoman, asserted that it was consistent with the Obama administration’s public statements. |
| “Given the range of important global events, we are not going to spend time litigating whether taping and playing Secretary Kerry’s private conversation was consistent with acceptable protocol,” Ms. Psaki said. | “Given the range of important global events, we are not going to spend time litigating whether taping and playing Secretary Kerry’s private conversation was consistent with acceptable protocol,” Ms. Psaki said. |
| “Regardless, his private comments were consistent with his publicly stated view on all five shows: Israel has the right to defend itself, including against recent tunnel attacks, but he has encouraged them to not only take steps to prevent civilian casualties but to take steps to de-escalate, and we’re working together to achieve a cease-fire,” she added. | “Regardless, his private comments were consistent with his publicly stated view on all five shows: Israel has the right to defend itself, including against recent tunnel attacks, but he has encouraged them to not only take steps to prevent civilian casualties but to take steps to de-escalate, and we’re working together to achieve a cease-fire,” she added. |
| In another appearance, on the CNN program “State of the Union,” Mr. Kerry said he would leave soon for the Middle East to meet with Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, to try to negotiate a cease-fire. | In another appearance, on the CNN program “State of the Union,” Mr. Kerry said he would leave soon for the Middle East to meet with Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, to try to negotiate a cease-fire. |
| “I believe the president is asking me to go over there in very short order to work on the issue of a cease-fire,” Mr. Kerry said. | “I believe the president is asking me to go over there in very short order to work on the issue of a cease-fire,” Mr. Kerry said. |
| Mr. Kerry also said in his television appearances that Hamas fighters who have used tunnels to try to sneak into Israel were carrying tranquilizer drugs and handcuffs, hoping to capture Israeli citizens and take them to Gaza as hostages. | Mr. Kerry also said in his television appearances that Hamas fighters who have used tunnels to try to sneak into Israel were carrying tranquilizer drugs and handcuffs, hoping to capture Israeli citizens and take them to Gaza as hostages. |
| While the Obama administration has defended Israel’s right to act against Hamas, it suggested last week that the Israeli ground attack be limited to closing the tunnels. | While the Obama administration has defended Israel’s right to act against Hamas, it suggested last week that the Israeli ground attack be limited to closing the tunnels. |
| In a phone call on Thursday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Mr. Kerry urged that the Israeli ground intervention “be a precise operation to target tunnels, as described in a statement from the Israeli Defense Forces,” the State Department said in a statement. | In a phone call on Thursday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Mr. Kerry urged that the Israeli ground intervention “be a precise operation to target tunnels, as described in a statement from the Israeli Defense Forces,” the State Department said in a statement. |
| “The secretary emphasized the need to avoid further escalation and to restore the 2012 cease-fire as soon as possible, reinforced our continuing commitment to the Egyptian initiative as the way to do so, and underscored the importance of Hamas accepting this plan as soon as possible,” the State Department added. | “The secretary emphasized the need to avoid further escalation and to restore the 2012 cease-fire as soon as possible, reinforced our continuing commitment to the Egyptian initiative as the way to do so, and underscored the importance of Hamas accepting this plan as soon as possible,” the State Department added. |
| President Obama made similar comments last week. | President Obama made similar comments last week. |
| “Although we support military efforts by the Israelis to make sure that rockets are not being fired into their territory,” Mr. Obama said, “we also have said that our understanding is the current military ground operations are designed to deal with the tunnels, and we are hopeful that Israel will continue to approach this process in a way that minimizes civilian casualties and that all of us are working hard to return to the cease-fire that was reached in November of 2012.” | “Although we support military efforts by the Israelis to make sure that rockets are not being fired into their territory,” Mr. Obama said, “we also have said that our understanding is the current military ground operations are designed to deal with the tunnels, and we are hopeful that Israel will continue to approach this process in a way that minimizes civilian casualties and that all of us are working hard to return to the cease-fire that was reached in November of 2012.” |