Livni: Cabinet members leveraging Gaza op for 'political gain'
In joint press conference with German counterpart, FM says some cabinet members criticized her conduct in face of UN pressure 'for political gain'; Steinmeier: Germany knows offensive in Gaza was launched for a reason
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said at a press conference with her German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Sunday that "I have no doubt that the Palestinians know that Israel will not accept attacks on its citizens".
Livni added that "this is not some kind of dispute between two countries that is going to end with some kind of agreement. We launched a military operation in order to achieve military goals".
She continued to defend the Foreign Ministry's achievements in the UN despite the passing of a Security Council resolution that calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and said the cabinet members who had criticized the Ministry's conduct during the affair were trying to "leverage the IDF's operation in Gaza for political gain".
"On the eve of the general elections, there are those who are trying to capitalize on what is standard procedure in international diplomacy," she said. "It's a shame, because there is a war going on here and there are interests that must be protected."
'We support stability in the region'
The foreign minister said she did all she could to thwart the resolution so that the IDF would have "ample time to deal a blow to terror."
In response to Livni's comments, a Likud official said "it is regretful that Ms. Livni has chosen to use a press conference for political propaganda.
"Instead of using this stage to provide political slogans in Hebrew, she should have explained Israel's positions in English," the official said.
The foreign minister also told the press conference that "there won’t be a diplomatic solution to the (Gaza war) if the price we have to pay includes dialogue with Hamas. I'm not going to have a photo-op with (Hamas Prime Minister Ismail) Haniyeh at the White House or embrace him at the UN. That's not going to happen. This (Hamas) is a terror organization.
"The military operation is aimed at establishing deterrence by reducing (Hamas') capabilities and motivation. Hamas knows that Israel will respond to each rocket. That's the new equation."
Steinmeier told the reporters that the German government was aware that the military operation (in Gaza) was launched "for a reason" and that Hamas was behind the rocket attacks emanating from the coastal enclave.
"We are aware of the consequences this has on the Israeli population. People are living in fear and there are deaths and injuries. We know that no government in the world would stand idly by in the face of daily rocket attacks," he said.
"It is vital that that international community assist Israel. We need a ceasefire that will bring security to Israel. The rocket attacks and the arms smuggling (into Gaza) must end, and we must make certain that the past agreements between Israel and the Palestinians are not lost. We support stability in the region."
