4/30/2018

ISRAEL/MIKE POMPEO/PALESTINE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Monday [4-30-18] said Israel has the right to defend itself after a month of deadly clashes at the fence dividing the country and the Gaza Strip, calling on both sides to resume political engagement. President Donald Trump’s chief diplomat was concluding his first-ever international trip after being sworn in on Thursday [4-26-18]. He landed in Amman on Sunday [4-29-18] after stops in Brussels, Riyadh and Tel Aviv… israeli military has faced growing criticism from human-rights activists for what they said was an excessive reaction by armed forces against Palestinians demonstrating at the border. Some protesters have tried breaching the fence—including on Friday [4-27-18]—clashing with Israel’s military and leaving dozens dead and thousands injured, some by live fire. Israel has responded to international criticism by saying it must use gunfire to prevent a breach of the border fence by protesters who could easily reach nearby Israeli towns. Gazans are calling for the right to return to homes in what is now Israel, a demand Israeli officials reject because they say it would risk the country’s Jewish majority.”

Suha Ma’ayeh, “Pompeo Backs Israel’s Right to Defend Border With Gaza,” The Wall Street Journal, April 30, 2018 10:42 am