Kerry against Terrorism, Pro Palestinian Statehood
JERUSALEM, Israel -- In his first trip to Israel since last year, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. In between, he met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.
Speaking with the press before sitting down with Netanyahu, Kerry expressed his "complete condemnation for any act of terror."
"Clearly, no people anywhere should live with daily violence; with attacks in the streets, with knives or scissors or cars. It is very clear to us that the terrorism, these acts of terrorism, which have been taking place, deserve the condemnation that they are receiving. And today I express complete condemnation for any act of terror that takes innocent lives and disrupts the day-to-day life of a nation," Kerry said.
"Israel has every right in the world to defend itself. It has an obligation to defend itself. And it will and it is," he said.
Netanyahu, for his part, said the continuing battle Israel faces against Islamic terrorism "is not only our battle, it is everyone's battle."
"It is the battle of civilization against barbarism," he said.
He added, though not publicly, that Israel will not agree to freeze construction in Judea, Samaria or offer gestures to the Palestinian Authority as long as incitement continues.
If the international community wants Israel to approve P.A. building plans, it must also accept Israel's right to build in its communities, Netanyahu reportedly told the secretary of state.
In Ramallah with Abbas, Kerry told reporters he came at the behest of President Barack Obama.
"I am here at the request of President Obama to see what we can do to try to help contribute to calm and to restore people's confidence in the ability of a two-state solution to still be viable, to be achieved at some point," Kerry said.
