US STATE DEPARTMENT: MORE DISTURBING THAN USUAL. Dr. Aaron Lerner of IMRA makes the following comments on Thursday's State Dept. Daily Press Briefing:

Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: If the Olmert-Livnat team was wondering if Israel
has succeeded in getting its message across, Sean McCormack's remarks make
it clear that it hasn't.

1. Speaking on behalf of the U.S. Government, he doesn't say terror is
immoral - instead he argues it is not effective.

2. Before Mahmoud Abbas has lifted a finger to act against terror
McCormack proclaims that he is "doing everything he can" - the implication
being that he will have an automatic pass when subject to any benchmark
test.

3. McCormack makes the chilling remark that "we've also urged them [Israel]
to consider the consequences of their actions in defending themselves...on
the prospects for moving forward the political process."

Simply put: Abbas is praised for doing nothing while Israel is warned it
should think twice before defending itself.

My favorite part of the briefing:

QUESTION: Would you say that President Abbas is doing all that he can to
stop this violence in terms of Hamas attacks from Gaza into Israel? Because
it seems as if, anyway, that this is leading to another escalation of
violence between Israelis and Palestinians that will set you even -- back
even further.

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, President Abbas is committed to ending violence. He has never -- he has always been somebody that has shunned the use of terror.

Was Mr. McCormack going to say that Abbas has never advocated the use of terrorism?

Technorati Tag: Israel and US State Department and Gaza and Abbas and Aaron Lerner.