Bush: Freeing soldier key to ending crisis
In telephone conversation initiated by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Bush says 'Initial goal should be freeing Israeli soldier. That is key to ending the crisis'
United States President George W. Bush said on Saturday that freeing an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian gunmen was key to ending the crisis in Gaza and should be the initial goal, the White House announced.
Bush, in a telephone conversation initiated by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, said "The initial goal should be freeing the Israeli soldier. That is the key to ending the crisis," said White House National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones.
The United States privately has urged Israel to be careful over its military action, worried that tough moves in Gaza will boost Palestinian support for Hamas and further escalate tensions.
Earlier, US ambassador to the UN John Bolton called for caution during a UN Security Council meeting, but added that the best way to resolve the crisis was for Hamas to quickly and unconditionally release the captured Israeli corporal, Gilad Shalit.
"The United States is of the firm view that a prerequisite for ending this conflict is that the governments of Syria and Iran end their role as state sponsors of terror and unequivocally condemn the actions of Hamas, including Shalit's kidnapping,” Bolton said.
Syria also should arrest Hamas leader and "known international terrorist" Mashaal, who lives in Damascus, and shut down Hamas offices on its territory, Bolton said.
