State Dept: ‘a distraction’ to talk of annexing Gaza

Talk of annexing Gaza is “a distraction” and the emphasis of the moment ought to be on Hamas’s use of human shields and the “general chaos that that causes,” the U.S. State Department said on Friday.

Tammy Bruce, the Foggy Bottom spokeswoman, was pressed several times on talk of annexation, after Israel Katz, the Israeli defense minister, said on Friday that he instructed the Israel Defense Forces to “seize additional territories” and to expand the security zone around the Israel-Gaza border “through permanent Israeli control of the territory” if Hamas keeps refusing to release the hostages whom it holds in Gaza.

Bruce issued a lengthy response to a question during the department’s Friday press briefing and asked a reporter to hold on, as she explained the State Department’s thinking on what ought to be the current emphasis.

“For those of you who care about these issues, it is a distraction to move past the nature of what’s going on now, via—with one cause, which is Hamas’s attitude and actions and while you then—we have to deal with what is continuing and not happening, because of their choices,” she said.

“We are continuing to try to stop that. So it’s interesting that we can continue to keep—sir, just a minute—keep in our minds the nature of what’s in front of us, which is still to stop the wholesale slaughter of people, the use of other individuals as human shields, that the general chaos that that causes, and the fact that there are ways to stop it,” Bruce said.

“And that’s what we’re working on now. But others perhaps—they want us to always talk about something else to get people distracted about that thing, so you stop looking at what is—the thing that we need to deal with immediately,” Bruce added. “I look to the Trump administration and to Secretary Rubio as examples of keeping their eyes on the prize and working methodically in this moment to get us to where we need to go.”

Bruce added that diplomatic conversations on the reimplementation of an Israel-Hamas ceasefire are taking place. “We’re still working to implement ceasefires and dealing with issues and questions regarding what can happen on the ground when there’s still hostilities and still conflict,” she said.

The State Department spokeswoman detailed, for the first time, the Trump administration’s posture toward Syria in response to a question from JNS.

The administration is “monitoring the Syrian internal authorities and actions in general, across a number of issues, as we determine and think about the future U.S. policy for Syria,” she told JNS.

Many countries have embraced new Syrian leadership or approached with cautious optimism, while Israel has insisted the interim government, led by those with a jihadi past, represents a direct threat to the Jewish state.

“We also continue to call for an inclusive, civilian-led government that can ensure national institutions are effective, responsive and representative,” Bruce said. “Local ownership and broad societal support is necessary for stability in Syria and the region, as recent deadly violence on the coast demonstrated, long term stability and prosperity for the people of Syria requires a government that protects all Syrians equally.”

Bruce indicated there are no immediate plans to unwind many long-standing sanctions on Syria, particularly on investment.

Following the expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador to the United States over criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump and racism in U.S. society, the South African presidency is reportedly pressuring the Johannesburg City Council not to move forward with remaining the street upon which the U.S. consulate resides in honor of Palestinian terrorist Leila Khaled.

Asked by JNS whether the State Department inserted itself in the controversy, Bruce declined to comment and referred reporters to South African national and local authorities.

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