Barack Obama’s Blog

President-elect Barack Obama may very well be inheriting an international crisis as the violence rages in Gaza. Israeli’s defense minister is calling the ongoing violence an “all-out-war” with Hamas, adding that these attacks are a response to escalating rocket attacks against Southern Israel. Meanwhile, President Bush is putting the blame squarely on Hamas. The brutal air strikes, numbering 250 so far in a little over a day, have so far killed 290, mostly Palestinian police officers, but also innocent civilians including children. Hamas has pledged suicide attacks against Israeli civilians in retaliation.

Obama staying true to his belief has kept a low profile during the turmoil allowing Bush to do his job as the President. Obama has kept a close eye on the situation in Gaza and has declared his unequivocal support for Israel. He has been in contact with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Hilary Clinton, the incoming secretary of state.

“I’m here to say that — as an American and as a friend of Israel — that we stand with the people of Sderot and with all the people of Israel,” he said. Obama believes that Israel, like any country under attack has the absolute right to defend and protect itself. In this particular case Isreali airstrikes aimed at Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that rules Gaza. It is important for the Obama administration to support Isreal, but make the Palestinians trust them enough to come to the table and see it is lasting peace that is the ultimate goal to be reached. From the start Obama has pledged to make Middle East peace a priority, and from the looks of it he is doing the best he can at the moment using caution to strategically move forward.