A spokesman for the Obama administration Tuesday refused to identify Palestinians as the perpetrators of a wave of Palestinian terrorist attacks that have left dozens of Israelis dead and wounded in the past weeks.
Associated Press reporter Matt Lee pressed the State Department spokesman to explain why the administration says it delivers the same message to both Israeli and Palestinian leaders when only Palestinians are carrying out terrorist attacks. "Does the United States believe--does the administration believe--that Israel is inciting or not condemning violence?" Lee asked.
Spokesman Mark Toner replied, "I think what we’ve been very clear about saying is that we want to see both sides take affirmative steps."
"So the U.S. – the administration sees both sides at fault here, is that correct?" Lee asked.
"Both sides need to, as their leaders need to express the fact that both sides need to decrease the tensions that are leading to ongoing incidence of violence. But you know, you're asking me to assign blame and I don't think that's the case," Toner said.
"Well, I mean, if the secretary is calling up both Abbas and Netanyahu and has the same message for both of them, it would suggest that you think that both of them need to do more to that," Lee said. "I'm just trying to figure out what is it you would want the Israelis to do more in condemning the violence."
"For one thing, upholding--for one thing, as I said upholding the status quo in Haram al-Sharif and Temple Mount," Toner said.
"But has there been suggestion that the status quo is going to be changed?" Lee asked.
Toner then changed the subject. There has been no change in the status quo on the Temple Mount, nor any consideration given by the Israeli government to changing the status quo there. Palestinian leaders have spread the unfounded claim that Jews are threatening the Al Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount, sparking Palestinian rioting there.
Lee then pressed from a different angle.
"Do you think the Palestinian Authority, President Abbas, needs to do more to combat incitement and condemn violence?" he asked.
Toner replied, "I think that both leaders need to – need to convey that message."
Toner later called the past month’s wave of unprovoked Palestinian terrorism "the cycle of violence that’s currently taking place."