The Obama administration is under pressure to help calm the growing
violence in Israel which has some warning of a third intifada, as
Israel's military steps up its response to deadly Palestinian attacks by
deploying hundreds of troops.
Amid the unrest, Secretary of State John Kerry just announced plans
to visit the region, and has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
"We're working on trying to calm things down," he said Tuesday during
an event at Harvard University. "And I will go there soon at some point
appropriately and try to work to re-engage and see if we can't move
that away from this precipice."
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest also cited that visit
Wednesday when asked what President Obama is doing to address the
crisis, saying Kerry will travel "in the near future." He said the visit
underscores the "continuing deep concern" the U.S. has and urged both
sides to take "affirmative steps" to calm tensions.
Yet the State Department under both Hillary Clinton and now Kerry so
far has been unable to push forward the Israeli-Palestinian peace
process. Relations between Obama and Netanyahu remain as chilly as ever
-- particularly after the Iran nuclear deal put them on opposite sides
of the debate -- and it's unclear how much sway the administration still
has in the volatile region.
Retired Lt. Col. Ralph Peters, a Fox News analyst, cited Netanyahu's
visit last month to Moscow to meet with Putin to discuss Syria. "He can
see that Obama's Middle East non-policy has failed utterly," Peters
said.
Kerry may be hoping his personal touch can help bring both sides together as tensions reach a critical point.
Tuesday was among the bloodiest days so far, as a pair of Palestinian
stabbing and shooting attacks in Jerusalem killed three Israelis and
another two attacks took place in the normally quiet Israeli city of
Raanana. Three Palestinians, including two attackers, were also killed.
On Capitol Hill, U.S. lawmakers urged a stronger response from the administration.
"I stand behind Israel's fundamental right to defend itself and its
people from violence and terror," Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., said in a
statement. "Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his government have
an obligation to stop these attacks, to cease the harsh rhetoric that
incites them, and to negotiate in good faith for a peaceful
resolution."
He added, "It is imperative that the United States continue to ensure
that Israel has the resources [it] needs to enhance its security and
meet these threats."
Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., said "it is critical that the Obama
administration and Congress press Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas ... to act decisively to end the growing wave of
Palestinian violence and return to bilateral peace negotiations with
Israel."
State Department spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday put out a statement
condemning "in the strongest terms today's terrorist attacks against
Israeli civilians."
He said the U.S. stresses the importance of "condemning violence and
combating incitement" and is in "regular contact" with both governments.
"We remain deeply concerned about escalating tensions and urge all
sides to take affirmative steps to restore calm and prevent actions that
would further escalate tensions," he said.
It's unclear what the U.S. message involves beyond those appeals.
Pressed repeatedly at Tuesday's briefing on what U.S. officials are
doing and saying about the crisis, State Department spokesman Mark Toner
said Kerry is urging both sides to condemn violence and combat
incitement. But he would not elaborate beyond saying that the U.S. is
delivering the same message to the Israelis and Palestinians. The only
specific item he mentioned was that Kerry is stressing the "importance
of upholding the status quo in word and in deed at Haram
al-Sharif/Temple Mount."
This was in reference to what is seen as the spark for the fresh
surge of violence -- rumors that Israel was plotting to take over
Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site, sacred to both Muslims and Jews.
Israel has adamantly denied the allegations.
Eight Israelis and 30 Palestinians -- including 13 identified by
Israel as attackers -- have died in a month of unrest, with dozens of
others wounded.
In response, Israeli police said 300 soldiers have been incorporated
into their deployment on the streets of east Jerusalem, where many of
the assailants are from.
Israeli Cabinet minister Yuval Steinitz said the current conflict had
less to do with political differences and more with anti-Semitic
incitement to create a religious war. He quoted Abbas' recent statement
where he blessed "every drop of blood spilled for Allah" and said Jews
desecrated a Jerusalem holy site with their "filthy feet."
Steinitz said, "It's all about horrible, anti-Jewish, racist incitement."
A column in
National Review
by attorney and writer David French said Israel is "on the brink of a
third intifada," and questioned whether the Obama administration's
waning influence in the region might fuel the unrest.
But Brookings Institution fellow Khaled Elgindy told
Al Jazeera America
it's "too early to say this is the 'third intifada' because we don't
yet see an organized political leadership that can coordinate the
various Palestinian pieces of this and can articulate political
demands."
The first and second intifadas -- Palestinian uprisings against the
Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip -- started in 1987
and 2000, respectively, and lasted several years.