To work closely with Israel Obama
Photo: AP
Special relationship. Olmert
Photo: AP
Obama not interfering
Photo: AP
Obama advisor: Israel an important ally
US President-elect's senior aide David Axelrod says Obama refuses to comment on IDF's operation in Gaza, but adds future president plans to work closely with Jewish state to promote peace
WASHINGTON - US President-elect Barack Obama is closely following the Israel Defense Forces' Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip from his vacation spot in Hawaii.
Obama's senior advisor David Axelrod said on Monday that the president-elect was discussing the matter with outgoing President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, but refused to comment to the media.
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Obama stressed that he had no intention of making any comments on the operation until he is sworn in to presidency on January 20, and Axelrod said, "There is only one ruling president."
But in interviews on NBC's "Meet the Press" and CBS's "Face the Nation", Axelrod expressed the president-elect's basic position on the crisis.
The advisor said that Israel and the United State have a "special relationship", that he called "an important bond". Axelrod added that Obama "plans to work closely with Israel. They are great allies of ours and the most important allies in the region.
"This is the basic principle of his plan, but he will carry it out in a way that will promote peace and he will work on it together with the Israelis and the Palestinians."
Since his election for US president, Obama has been receiving daily security-intelligence briefings, even during his vacation in Hawaii.
The Washington Post on Sunday quoted Middle East experts, including Aaron Miller
Who was on Dennis Ross' peace team in the Clinton administration, who claimed that the Israeli operation in Gaza would hurt Obama's plans to promote peace between the parties.
However, reality could prove otherwise, since with Hamas being the biggest obstacle in the way of the peace process, it's "softening" in an Israeli operation before Obama's entrance to office could turn out to be a good thing for the new president.
During his election campaign Obama spoke of his intentions to hold talks with Iran, however, he refused to make a similar statement regarding Hamas, until the organization fulfilled the Middle East Quartet's demands, namely, recognizing Israel, honoring prior agreements, and putting an end to terror.
