By Ryan Jones
Sep 27, 2005
The Bush Administration respects Israel's right to defend itself, but wants Jerusalem to remember Washington is working to create an Arab state in the Jews' ancient homeland.
America's decades-long pursuit of this goal has already cost innumerable Israelis their lives.
On Monday, reporters asked State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack for the administration's reaction to this week's flare-up of Hamas violence emanating from Gaza.
McCormack said Washington sees the Palestinian Authority has having ?the responsibility...to try to prevent such future attacks; that is very important. It is important that they take up their obligations to stop terror attacks, to dismantle terrorist organizations.?
?We also understand Israel's right to defend itself,? the spokesman said.
But McCormack urged Israel, while taking such actions of self-defense, ?to consider the effect that its actions may have on reaching the overall goal that all [sic] share of achieving two states living side by side in peace and security.?