TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR THE TOP. SO, SHAWN, WILL YOU START US TODAY?.
>> SURE. WELCOME. >> DON'T LOOK AT ME THAT WAY. YEAH, I'M GOING TO CALL YOU OUT ON THAT DIRTY LOOK YOU FLASHED ME. YOU CAN GO SECOND. MEANT IN JEST. >> AI'M SURE WE WANT TO START.
WITH THE WORKERS KILLED IN GAZA. WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THE ISRAELI EXPLANATION OF THIS? PRESIDENT NETANYAHU SAYS IT WAS UNINTENTIONAL, THAT THEY'RE INVESTIGATING. IS THAT ENOUGH AT THIS POINT? WHAT IS THE UNITED STATES LOOKING FOR?.
>> SO, WE ARE LOOKING FOR THEM TO DO TWO THINGS. ONE, TO CONDUCT A FULL, SWIFT, AND TRANSPARENT INVESTIGATION. AND IF THAT INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT ACCOUNTABILITY IS INAPPROPRIATE, THERE, OF COURSE, SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABILITY. AND WE WILL WAIT TO SEE THE.
RESULTS OF THAT INVESTIGATION BEFORE WE PASS JUDGMENT ON IT. THE ISRAELIS SAID TO US AND SAID PUBLICLY THAT THEY INTEND TO CONDUCT THIS INVESTIGATION SWIFTLY. WE WANT TO SEE IT WRAPPED UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND SEE THEM PUT IN PLACE ANY MEASURES TO.
PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. THAT GOES TO THE SECOND POINT THAT WE THINK WE NEED TO SEE, NOT JUST — THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE OUTCOME OF THIS INVESTIGATION TO DO IT. THEY NEED TO PUT IN PLACE BETTER DECONFLICTION AND BETTER.
COORDINATION MEASURES TO PROTECT HUMANITARIAN WORKERS AND TO PROTECT ALL THE CIVILIANS ON THE GROUND. AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY SAID TO THEM OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS IS THAT THEY NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR DECONFLICTION MEASURES AND THEY.
NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR COORDINATION MEASURES. I SAW THAT THE DEFENSE MINISTER SAID THAT THEY ARE GOING TO STAND UP A SITUATION ROOM TO IMPROVE COORDINATION BETWEEN AIDE WORKERS AND THE IDF. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S OVERDUE. SECRETARY BLINKEN HAS, IN HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH ISRAELI COUNTERPARTS MADE THE CASE THEY NEED TO STAND UP SOMETHING LIKE THAT. HE RAISED THAT WITH MINISTER GALLANT AS EARLY AS LAST WEEK. SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE SOONER.
BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR THEM TO TAKE GOING FORWARD. BUT ULTIMATELY, AS IS THE CASE WITH ALL THE MEASURES THEY PUT IN PLACE, WE'RE GOING TO JUDGE THEM ON TRULTS, NOT THE INTENT. >> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENED BEFORE. THERE IS THE TRAGEDY WITH PEOPLE.
SEARCHING — RECEIVING AID WERE KILLED EVEN BEFORE OCTOBER 7th. THERE IS IS INVESTIGATION INTO THE KILLING OF — DO YOU THINK THAT THE ISRAELI INVESTIGATIONS AND THE U.S. RESPONSES HAVE HAD AN IMPACT, PARTICULARLY THE U.S. RESPONSES? DO YOU THINK THAT JUST SAYING.
YOU'RE GOING TO WAIT FOR THE ISRAELI INVESTIGATION FOR THE ISRAELIS TO ACT? >> SO, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT THE STEPS THEY HAVE PUT INTO PLACE BECAUSE OF — AT OUR URGING — HAVE HAD AN IMPACT AND HAVE HAD AN IMPACT TO — HAVE HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE SECRETARY TRAVELLED TO ISRAELI AND PUSHED THEM TO IMPLEMENT BETTER DECONFLICTION, WE DID SEE AN IMPROVEMENT IN DECONFLICTION. WE SAW THEM EVACUATING SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS INSTEAD OF JUST SENDING BLANKET EVACUATION ORDERS ACROSS ENTIRE STRETCHES.
OF NORTH GAZA. AND THOSE DID HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT, BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SUFFICIENT. AND SO THAT'S WHY I MADE THIS POINT AT THE BEGINNING, THAT WE WANT TO SEE THEM TAKE FURTHER STEPS, LIKE THE ONES THAT THEY SAY THEY'RE STANDING UP.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO WATCH. AND IF THERE ARE MORE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE, WE WILL OF COURSE CALL THEM TO DO SO. WITH RESPECT TO INVESTIGATIONS, LOOK, I DON'T WANT TO PASS JUDGMENT ON WHAT THIS INVESTIGATION WILL SHOW, JUST AS YOU DON'T WANT TO PASS JUDGMENT.
ON WHAT ANY INVESTIGATION WOULD SHOW BEFORE IT'S CONCLUDED. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY CONDUCT A FULL, TRANSPARENT, SWIFT INVESTIGATION. THEY NEED TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, AND WE WILL — I'LL WAIT TO PASS JUDGMENT ON IT UNTIL IT'S COMPLETED.
>> JUST ONE MORE EQUIVALENT, FOLLOWING UP. THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF LAID OUT THIS PLAN TO SAVE THE UNION. IT WAS QUITE A — THE UNITED STATES WAS — IT WAS VERY VISIBLE IN THAT SAYING THAT — TALKING ABOUT THE — AND EVERYTHING.
WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT THAT? IS THIS RUINING THE U.S. EFFORTS TO GET AID IN? OBVIOUSLY THE U.S. CAN STILL DO IT, BUT TONS OF AID SHOULD HAVE BEEN BACK. >> IT WILL NOT EFFECT OUR EFFORTS TO STAND UP THE PIER TO DELIVER THAT EFFORT THROUGH.
SCENE. THAT EFFORT IS ONGOING. WE WANT TO GET THAT STOOD UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. OF COURSE THIS STRIKE DOES REVEAL THE VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT AIDE WORKERS ON THE GROUND INSIDE GAZA FACE WHEN IT COMES TO NOT JUST RECEIVING.
AID IN GAZA BUT THEN ACTUALLY DELIVERING IT. FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS QUITE A BIT OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS. IT'S ONE THING TO GET AID INTO GAZA EITHER THROUGH RAFAH OR CARAM SHALOM WHEN WE HAVE THAT UP AND RUNNING.
THE REAL QUESTION IS BEING ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE IT. IT'S IN THE DISTRIBUTION EFFORTS WHERE WE SAW THIS TRAGIC STRIKE TAKE PLACE YESTERDAY. IT DOES, OF COURSE, RAISE REAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THOSE AIDE WORKERS WHO ARE DOING THAT DANGEROUS WORK.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THESE WERE SEVEN TRAGIC DEATHS YESTERDAY. BUT OVER 200 AIDE WORKERS HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES SINCE THIS CONFLICT BEGAN. SO, THAT JUST HEIGHTENS — REITERATES AND HEIGHTENS THE NEED FOR ISRAEL TO DO BETTER.
GOING FORWARD. AND IT'S WHY THE STEPS THAT MINISTER GALANT OUTLINED YESTERDAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING CLOSELY TO SEE IF THEY ARE FULLY IMPLEMENTED AND IMPLEMENTED IN A WAY THAT YIELDS BETTER RESULTS BECAUSE THERE VERY MUCH NEEDS TO BE BETTER.
RESULTS. AGAIN, I'LL COME BACK TO ONE POINT WE OFTEN MAKE AND YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS, YOU HEARD THE SECRETARY SAY THIS PUBLICLY. BUT THIS IS A CASE WE MAKE DIRECTLY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL. THEY NEED TO DO BETTER IN.
ALLOWING HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO BE DELIVERED. AND ACHIEVING BETTER DECONFLICTION AND COORDINATION MEASURES FOR THE BENEFITS OF CITIZENS INSIDE GAZA THAT ARE SUFFERING. THAT'S ENOUGH OF A REASON TO DO IT.
THAT'S ENOUGH OF A REASON TO DO BETTER. BUT IT IS ALSO IN ISRAEL'S SECURITY INTEREST TO DO BETTER. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS THEM TO DO THAT. >> COULD THERE BE ANY REPERCUSSIONS FOR THE UNITED STATES?.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO SAY YOU'RE WAITING FOR THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION, AS YOU SAID. WE'VE HAD THESE BEFORE, THESE INVESTIGATIONS. IT WASN'T JUST SEVEN, THERE ARE 200 AIDE WORKERS HAVE BEEN KILLED.
OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING IS NOT B HAPPENING. IS THERE MORE PRESSURE THE UNITED STATES COULD DO? >> WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT WE THINK ABOUT THIS PUBLICLY. WE'RE GOING TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT WE THINK ABOUT THIS PRIVATELY.
WE'RE GOING TO OFFER OIR BEST ADVICE TO THEM THAT THEY COULD DO BETTER, AND WE'RE GOING TO PUSH THEM TO DO BETTER, AS WE HAVE ZSINCE THE BEGINNING. >> THERE'S BEEN REPORTING IN ISRAELI MEDIA ABOUT HOW THE ATTACK HAS TAKEN PLACE. BASICALLY IT SAID THE DRONE.
FIRED THREE MISSILES IN SUCCESSION AND EACH OF THEM, SORT OF, STRUCK ONE OF THE CARS. AND REUTERS JUST — WE HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH — ACTUALLY JUST ON OUR WIRE, AND HE TOLD US THAT THE ISRAELI ARMY TARGETED THE CONVOY, QUOTE, SYSTEMICALLY CAR BY CAR.
AND, YOU KNOW, PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU TALKED ABOUT THIS BEING FAKE AND UNINTENTIONAL. HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THOSE TWO — THE REPORTING AND WHAT JOSE ANDRES IS SAYING AND WHAT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU IS SAYING? >> TWO THINGS ABOUT THAT.
NUMBER ONE, THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES HAS COME OUT AND SAID IT WAS A MISIDENTIFICATION. WHILE THEY WERE — I TOOK THAT TO MEAN, WHILE THEY WERE TARGETING THOSE CARS, THEY DID NOT BELIEVE IT WAS THE WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN THAT WAS.
OPERATING THOSE VEHICLES AT THE TIME. BUT THAT SAID, WE NEED TO WAIT AND SEE THE OUTCOME OF THIS INVESTIGATION TO KNOW, WITH ANY CONFIDENCE, WHAT IT WAS THAT HAPPENED. AND WE'RE GOING TO WAIT TO DO THAT.
BUT THE SECOND THING IS — THE SECOND POINT IS, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER HOW THEY MADE THE MISTAKE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAVE SEVEN DEAD AIDE WORKERS WHO WERE THERE TRYING TO DELIVER HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE. SO, WHATEVER THE REASON WAS THAT.
LED TO THIS TRAGEDY, WHATEVER THE MISTAKE THAT HAPPENED INSIDE THE IDF, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE. AND THEY NEED TO DO BETTER AND THEY NEED TO PUT MEASURES IN PLACE TO ENSURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. >> AND GIVEN THERE WAS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN KILLED IN THIS.
ATTACK, WHY WAS THE UNITED STATES CONDUCTING ITS OWN INVESTIGATION? >> WE DON'T CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS OF THE TYPE I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO FROM THIS BUILDING, SO I WOULDN'T PRESUME TO SPEAK TO ANY. >> COULD THE ADMINISTRATION.
CONSIDER, SORT OF, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CAN DO THAT, FBI CAN DO THAT? >> AGAIN, WE DON'T CONDUCT THAT TYPE OF INVESTIGATION FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT. I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ANY OTHER AGENCY. >> I JUST WANT TO ASK THE.
EVERGREEN QUESTION. WE'VE REPORTED THAT YOU ASKED — THE ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING AT FURTHERING A BIG $18 BILLION AIRCRAFT PACKAGE, WEAPONS PACKAGE, TO ISRAEL. WE REPORTED THAT EARLIER THIS WEEK. AND LOOKING AT PRESIDENT BIDEN'S.
STATEMENT LAST NIGHT SAYING, THIS IS NOT A ONE-OFF — AND YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF HUMANITARIAN WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED — THERE ARE A LOT OF JOURNALISTS WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED. DOESN'T THIS KIND OF — GIVEN THE ACCUSATIONS OF DISREGARD FOR.
NON-COMBATANTS BY THE IDF, DOESN'T THIS KIND OF INCIDENT MAKE U.S. STOP AND RECONSIDER ITS ARMS SALES OR MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL? >> LET ME SAY TWO THINGS WITH RESPECT TO THAT QUESTION. NUMBER ONE, WITH RESPECT TO SOME OF THE REPORTING THAT WE'VE SEEN.
OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS ABOUT ARMS TRANSFERS OR POTENTIAL ARMS TRANSFERS TO ISRAEL, SOME OF WHICH WE HAVE NOT OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED TO CONGRESS AND HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD ON AT ALL. BUT A LOT OF THOSE ARE WITH RESPECT TO WEAPONS SYSTEMS THAT WOULD NOT BE DELIVERED FOR.
YEARS. LONG AFTER HOPEFULLY THE CONFLICT IN GAZA HAS BEEN RESOLVED. >> I'M NOT ENTIRELY — >> I JUST WANT TO SAY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO — BECAUSE IT DOES GO TO THE EXACT POINT. WE HAVE HAD A LONG-STANDING.
SECURITY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE OF ISRAEL THAT PREDATES THIS ADMINISTRATION, THAT PREDATES THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT IN ISRAEL. AND THAT HAS EXISTED THROUGH DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATIONS IN WASHINGTON AND THROUGH GOVERNMENTS OF.
DIFFERENT PARTIES IN ISRAEL BECAUSE WE ARE COMMITTED TO ISRAEL'S LONG-TERM SECURITY. SO, WHEN I GET QUESTIONS, WHEN I SEE SOME OF THE REPORTING ABOUT ARMS TRANSFERS OR POTENTIAL ARMS TRANSFERS TO ISRAEL, SOME OF WHICH STARTED YEARS AGO OR APPROVED YEARS AGO AND SOME OF.
WHICH RELATE TO SYSTEMS THAT WON'T BE DELIVERED UNTIL YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT IN CONTEXT THAT THOSE RELATE TO THE OVERALL SECURITY RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL AND OUR OVERALL COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL'S DEFENSE AGAINST A NUMBER OF ADVERSARIES.
THAT IT FACES IN THE REGION THAT ARE COMMITTED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF ISRAEL. WITH RESPECT TO THE QUESTION I KNOW YOU'RE GETTING AT, WHICH WE'VE ADDRESSED A NUMBER OF TIMES HERE, WE CONTINUE TO BE COMMITTED TO ISRAEL'S DEFENSE. BUT WE CONTINUE TO PRESS THEM.
CONSISTENTLY TO ENSURE THAT THEY FULLY COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW AND CRITICALLY, THAT WHEN THEY DO MAKE MISTAKES, AS THEY VERY OBVIOUSLY DID YESTERDAY, THAT THEY ARE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THOSE MISTAKES, THAT THEY INVESTIGATE THEM, AND IF APPROPRIATE,.
THERE'S ACCOUNT BT. >> I'M NOT SURE HOW THE DELIVERY DATE FOR THIS BEING DOWN THE LINE FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS, HAS AN IMPACT ON YOUR DECISION MAKING TODAY BECAUSE YOU'RE MAKING THE DECISION TODAY WITH THE INFORMATION THAT YOU KNOW. THERE ARE, LIKE, VARIOUS.
ACCUSATIONS ABOUT ISRAELI MILITARY'S CONDUCT IN GAZA. ELSEWHERE THERE ARE INCIDENTS THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT, WHETHER ISRAEL HAS BREACHED INTERNATIONAL RULES, LIKE, HUMANITARIAN LAW. SO, I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE HOW RELEVANT IT IS THAT THE DELIVERY.
OF THOSE ARE, LIKE, DOWN THE LINE. REGARDLESS, JUST ONE LAST THING. YOU SAID A MINUTE AGO — YOU TALKED ABOUT MISIDENTIFICATION. ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE VIDEO OF ISRAEL'S CHIEF OF STAFF — >> CORRECT. >> — OR ARE YOU –.
>> THE STATEMENT HE SAID PUBLICLY. >> IS THAT WHAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN TOLD, THAT IT WAS A MISIDENTIFICATION. >> THEY HAVE TOLD US THE SAME THINGS PRIVATELY THAT THEY HAVE SAID PUBLICLY. >> THAT THEY TOOK THE BUT.
THEY DIDN'T — THEY WEREN'T AWARE THAT IT WAS A WCK — >> THEY HAVE — AS I SAID, THE THING THAT — THE POINT ABOUT MISIDENTIFICATION THAT GENERAL HA LEB BY SAID IN THAT PUBLIC STATEMENT IS WHAT THEY COMMUNICATED TO US PRIVATELY. I'M NOT GOING TO GET FURTHER.
INTO THE CONVERSATIONS. ULTIMATELY WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THEY CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION TO IDENTIFY HOW THAT MISTAKE HAPPENED, EXACTLY HOW IT HAPPENED, AND WHAT THEY CAN DO TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. GO AHEAD.
>> — >> I DON'T HAVE ANY — TO THAT QUESTION. I THINK THEY TRAVEL AT DIFFERENT TIMES DURING THE DAY. SOME OF THOSE, TRAVELING TO THE NORTH OF GAZA, WHERE THE AID SITUATION HAS BEEN MUCH MORE RESTRICTED, THERE'S BEEN A MUCH.
MORE DESPERATE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION. SOMETIMES THEY'VE BEEN TRAVELING AT NIGHT TO MINIMIZE THE SCENES, LIKE WE SAW SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, WHERE YOU SAW STAMPEDES OF DESPERATE INDIVIDUALS TRYING TO RUSH OUT AND TAKE AID FROM THE TRUCKS.
THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO MOVE AT TIMES THAT WOULD MITIGATE THE RISK OF THAT HAPPENING. THEY ALSO DO MOVE DURING THE DAY. THEY DON'T MOVE ONLY AT NIGHT. >> I KNOW YOU SAID SWIFT INVESTIGATION. CAN YOU GIVE US DETAIL WHETHER.
THIS IS DAYS, WEEKS. >> I WOULD DEFER TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL. >> ONE MORE ON THIS AND THEN A QUESTION ON THE BENNY GANTZ COMMENTS FROM TODAY. SO, HAS THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL SHARED WITH YOU ANY INFORMATION THAT PROVE THAT THIS WAS WHAT.
THEY'RE SAYING, A MISIDENTIFICATION, OR ARE YOU JUST TRUSTING THAT? >> WHAT WE ARE TRUSTING IS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO CONDUCT A FULL INVESTIGATION. BUT THAT SAID, WE WILL LOOK AT HOW THAT INVESTIGATION IS CONDUCTED.
WE WILL LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF THAT. AND THEN WE WILL PASS JUDGMENT ON IT. SO, I DON'T WANT TO PASS JUDGMENT ON ANYTHING THAT THEY HAVE SAID PRIVATELY OR PUBLICLY UNTIL THEY'VE CONDUCTED A FULL INVESTIGATION.
I ONLY SAY THAT BECAUSE, AS IS TRUE WITH OUR OWN MILITARY, MILITARIES AROUND THE WORLD, OFTEN TIMES THE EARLY EVENTS OF WHAT HAPPENED DON'T BEAR OUT WHEN YOU CONDUCT A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO THE UNDERLYING FACTS. SO, WE'RE GOING TO WAIT TO PASS.
JUDGMENT. >> IN A WAY YOU'RE PASSING JUDGMENT BY SAYING IT WAS A MISIDENTIFICATION ALREADY BEFORE YOU HAVE THE FACTS BEFORE YOU. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO DISPUTE THAT. WE WILL WAIT AND SEE THE FULL INVESTIGATION.
>> OKAY. BENNY GANTZ, ISRAELI WAR CABINET MINISTER, SAID TODAY THAT HE WOULD CALL FOR PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER. WHAT IS THE U.S. RESPONSE TO THAT? WOULD YOU SUPPORT SUCH ELECTIONS TAKING PLACE?.
>> THAT IS ENTIRELY A DECISION FOR THE ISRAELI PEOPLE AND MEMBERS OF ISRAELI GOVERNMENT TO MAKE. GO AHEAD. >> YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THREE STRIKES ON THIS CONVOY. EVEN IF WE TAKE IT FACE VALUE THAT IT'S MISIDENTIFICATION, IS.
THAT APPROPRIATE. YOU HAVE A CONVOY THAT'S CLEARLY MARKED BY AID. HAVING THREE STRIKES, SYSTEMICALLY DESTROYING IT, DO YOU THINK THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO GO? >> YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO COMMENT ON THAT WITHOUT GETTING.
INTO HYPOTHETICAL. YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY SEE A SCENARIO IF THERE WERE A CONVOY OF CLEAR TERRORISTS THAT IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE. THAT OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT THE CASE HERE. SO, I THINK WE WILL WAIT, AS I SAID, FOR THE RESULTS OF THE.
INVESTIGATION TO PASS JUDGMENT ON HOW THIS MISTAKE HAPPENED. BUT, AS I SAID, IT ULTIMATELY DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT WAS THREE OR TWO. IT KILLED SEVEN AIDE WORKERS. HOWEVER THEY MADE THE MISTAKE, IT RESULTED IN A TRAGEDY THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO PREVENT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. >> THANK YOU. ON THE INVESTIGATION, MATT, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ISRAEL'S RECORD IN INVESTIGATING ITSELF IS A GOOD RECORD, THEY HAVE COME UP WITH GOOD RESULTS IN THE PAST. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY.
INVESTIGATIONS. CAN YOU CITE ONE INVESTIGATION WHERE THEY ACTUALLY CAME CLEAN? >> THEY HAVE SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF INVESTIGATIONS, INCLUDING ONE WHERE YOU HAD MEMBERS OF THE IDF WHO BEHAVED INAPPROPRIATELY INSIDE A MOSQUE, AND THEY SPOKE TO THOSE MEMBERS BEING.
DISCIPLINED. THEY'VE SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF INVESTIGATIONS THEY HAVE ONGOING. I READ COMMENTS LAST WEEK FROM THE CHIEF LAWYER INSIDE THE IDF WHO TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS THEY HAVE.
ULTIMATELY, LET'S JUST WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE INVESTIGATION COMES UP WITH, AND THEN WE CAN MAKE OUR JUDGMENT. >> NOW, I HAVE A COUPLE MORE. JUST BEAR WITH ME. ON THE MISIDENTIFICATION. WHEN THEY SAY “MISIDENTIFICATION,” DOES THAT.
TELL US THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY AFTER A THREE-CAR CONVOY THAT HAD HAMAS FIGHTERS IN IT AND THEY WERE TARGETING? OR, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MOVEMENT OF FIGHTERS BY CARS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY UNUSUAL, AND SO ON. IS THAT WHAT YOU THINK THEY MEANT?.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE AFTER. AND ULTIMATELY, AS I SAID, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHAT THEY INTENDED TO DO BECAUSE WHAT THEY DID DO WAS KILL SEVEN AIDE WORKERS, AND IT'S UNACCEPTABLE AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. >> SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN.
ABOUT 196, I BELIEVE — 196 — AIDE WORKERS KILLED IN GAZA. 175 U.N. WORKERS, INCLUDING UNRWA WORKERS AND SO ON. SO, I WANT TO ASK YOU, DO YOU BELIEVE THERE'S ANY KIND OF — WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS STRIKE? THE FACT THAT THIS PARTICULAR.
STRIKE WAS, YOU KNOW, HEADED BY A FAMOUS CHEF AND HAD CITIZENS OF CANADA AND AUSTRALIA AND UNITED STATES, NOT JUST PALESTINIAN. IS THAT THE ONLY DIFFERENCE FOR THIS STRIKE TO GARNER SUCH A GREAT DEAL OF SPACE AND TO ENGENDER THE ANGER OF THE.
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND YOUR ANGER? >> SO, SAEED, I WON'T SPEAK TO WHY ANY ONE STRIKE GATHERS MORE ATTENTION THAN OTHERS. THAT'S NOT A MESSAGE MADE BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. I WOULD SAY, WHEN IT COMES TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
SPEAKING OUT, WE HAVE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THE NEED FOR ISRAEL TO DO MORE TO MINIMIZE CIVILIAN HARM AND MINIMIZE DEATH TO AIDE WORKERS. THAT DIDN'T START THIS WEEK WITH THESE DEATHS — THIS TRAGIC DEATH OF THE SEVEN WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN MEMBERS.
AND WE HAVE PRESSED THE GOVERNMENT TO DO BETTER AND OFFERED IDEAS ON HOW TO DO BETTER. ONE OF THOSE IDEAS IS TO STAND UP THE SITUATION ROOM THEY ARE NOW STANDING UP. >> LAST QUESTION ON RAFAH AND THE MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE ON.
MONDAY. IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE DEEP DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ISRAEL ON THE RUSSIA INVASION. CAN YOU UPDATE US ON WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT IS THE UNITED STATES — WHAT DOES THE UNITED STATES.
EXPECT ISRAEL TO DO? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MOVEMENT OF MAYBE 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE. >> WE — I COULDN'T TELL IF YOU WERE — SOMETIMES I JUMP IN. I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU. WITH RESPECT TO A POTENTIAL OPERATION IN RAFAH, WHAT WE HAVE.
MADE CLEAR THEN IS WE SHARE THE GOAL OF DISMANTLING THE REMAINING HAMAS BATTALIONS THAT EXIST IN RAFAH AND DO POSE A LEGITIMATE SECURITY THREAT TO THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. BUT WE DO NOT WANT THEM TO CONDUCT A FULL-SCALE OPERATION.
THAT WE BELIEVE WOULD NOT ONLY LEAD TO A HIGH NUMBER OF CIVILIAN DEATHS AND WOULD HINDER THE DELIVERY OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE BUT WOULD ULTIMATELY WEAKEN ISRAEL SECURITY. WHAT WE DID IN THAT MEETING THAT THE SECRETARY ATTENDED AT THE WHITE HOUSE A COUPLE DAYS AGO IS.
TO OFFER THEM OUR BEST ADVICE ON OTHER WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH THAT MISSION. AND WE WILL HAVE FOLLOW-UP MEETINGS IN THE COMING DAYS TO FURTHER THAT CONVERSATION. >> SO, YOU SAID THAT WE HAVE SEVEN DEAD INTERNATIONAL AIDE WORKERS AND YOU WANT TO AVOID.
SEEING MORE KILLING IN THE FUTURE. SO, THEREFORE YOU SAID THAT U.S. IS READY TO COORDINATE BETTER AND ESTABLISH DECONFLICTING SOURCE. THIS — WHAT HAPPENED WITH WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN, WHO COORDINATED WITH ISRAELIS IN EVERY DETAIL.
AND WENT INTO THE DECONFLICTION ZONE ON THE BEACH, AND THEY WERE TARGETED. HOW DOES THIS APPLY NOW? >> THAT IS EXACTLY THE POINT I WAS MAKING. THEY HAD DECONFLICTION MEASURES. THEY'VE HAD COORDINATION MEASURES TO TRY TO PREVENT.
TRAGEDIES LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING, AND THEY HAVEN'T WORKED WELL ENOUGH, CLEARLY. THEY HAVEN'T WORKED WELL ENOUGH. WHEN YOU SEE NOT JUST THESE SEVEN AIDE WORKERS THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED, BUT OVER 200 AIDE WORKERS THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE THE OUTSET OF THIS.
CONFLICT. SO, THEY NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB. SOME OF THIS HAS BEEN BUREAUCRATIC WITH AIDE WORKERS — WITH THE IDF NOT HAVING SET UP THE RIGHT CHANNELS TO COMMUNICATE WITH AIDE WORKERS AND MESSAGES NOT GETTING PASSED.
BACK AND FORTH. AS I SAID, ULTIMATELY, WHATEVER THE DETAILS ARE THAT BROKE DOWN HERE, THE RESULT IS UNACCEPTABLE. THAT'S WHY THEY NEED TO DO BETTER. THAT'S WHY THEY NEED TO HAVE IMPROVED DECONFLICTION AND.
COORDINATION MEASURES TO PREVENT TRAGEDIES LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. >> OKAY. AS A RESULT OF THE KILLING OF THE WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN STAFF, ALSO — SUSPENDED WORK DELIVERING AIDE TO GAZA. AND BEFORE THAT, UNRWA WAS.
TARGETED BY THE ISRAELIS, SAYING THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE OCTOBER 7th ATTACK. AND WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE INVESTIGATION. SO, PRACTICALLY THREE OF THE VITAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE AID TO GAZA EITHER SUSPENDED THEIR WORK OR THEY DO NOT HAVE.
ENOUGH FUND TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STARVING IN GAZA. SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THIS ACTUALLY IS A KIND OF STRATEGY ON BEHALF OF THE ISRAELIS TO USE FOOD AS A WEAPON OF WAR AND TO PREVENT GAZANS OF RECEIVING THE AID AND THEREFORE FORCING THEM TO LEAVE AS A COUNTERSTRATEGY BY.
PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU. CAN YOU ENTERTAIN THIS FOR A SECOND, THIS THOUGHT, THAT ACTUALLY THIS IS NOT A MISTAKE OR UNINTENTIONAL OR HALF HAZARD OR WAS ACCIDENT BUT THERE IS A THOUGHT PROCESS THAT GOES INTO IT. >> A FEW THINGS IN THE PREFACE.
TO THE QUESTION FIRST. WITH RESPECT TO UNRWA, IT'S NOT JUST THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT THAT FOUND THERE WERE UNRWA WORKERS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TERRORIST ATTACK. IT WAS UNRWA ITSELF. THAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER. UNRWA ITSELF BRIEFED THE UNITED.
STATES ON ITS OWN FINDINGS. WITH RESPECT TO UNRWA, IT DOES CONTINUE TO OPERATE. IT'S FACED FUNDING CHALLENGES, BUT YOU'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES WHO HAVE RESUMED THEIR FUNDING. UNRWA CONTINUES TO DO IMPORTANT WORK ON THE GROUND NOW, VITAL.
WORK, THAT WE WANT TO SEE CONTINUED. WHILE THEY HAVE FACED FUNDING CHALLENGES, THEY ARE CONTINUING TO DELIVER HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE INSIDE GAZA. AND IT'S CRITICAL THAT WORK CONTINUE. OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE.
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED THE OTHER DAY NOW AND BE WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES. HOW COULD THEY NOT BE? IT IS WHY IT IS INCUMBENT ON THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL TO INSTITUTE BETTER MEASURES, TO.
GIVE CONFIDENCE TO AIDE WORKERS, AID ORGANIZATIONS, THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES WON'T BE KILLED DELIVERING HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE. WITH RESPECT TO THE OVERALL POLICY, I CAN SPEAK TO WHAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL HAS SAID AND WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.
THEY HAVE SAID THEY WANT TO SEE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO COME IN AND THEY HAVE ALLOWED ASSISTANCE TO COME THROUGH IN RAFAH, CARAM SHALOM, THE MARITIME GATE. THEY'RE WORKING — IN ALL OF THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT HAS BEEN NOT ENOUGH, IT HAS BEEN TOO.
LITTLE, IT HAS BEEN PLAGUED IN MANY CASES BY BUREAUCRATIC DELAYS AND BUREAUCRATIC OBSTACLES THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO TRY TO WORK THROUGH. BUT IT'S KIND OF THE SAME THING WITH RESPECT TO — IT'S THE SAME POINT I'M MAKING WITH RESPECT TO THESE DEATHS.
WHATEVER THE REASON THE AMOUNT OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE HASN'T GOTTEN IN AT THE LEVELS IT SHOULD HAVE, THE ULTIMATE FACT IS THE FACT, WHICH IS NOT ENOUGH FOOD, NOT ENOUGH WATER, IS GETTING IN RIGHT NOW, AND THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL NEEDS TO DO MORE TO ALLOW IT GETTING IN, TO.
FACILITATE IT GETTING IN. >> JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON 200 AIDE WORKERS KILLED IN GAZA AND THE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR APPROACH. PRESIDENT BIDEN, YESTERDAY, EXPRESSED OUTRAGE OVER THE KILLING OF SEVEN AIDE WORKERS FROM THE WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN IN GAZA.
IS THE ADMINISTRATION ALSO OUTRAGED BY THE KILLING OF, YOU KNOW, NEARLY 200 AIDE WORKERS, 100 JOURNALISTS, 23,000 PALESTINIANS, MOSTLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN. ARE YOU OUTRAGED BY THIS TOO? >> WE ARE OUTRAGED BY EVERY LOSS OF CIVILIAN LOSS IN GAZA.
AND YOU HAVE HEARD THE PRESIDENT SPEAK TO THIS. YOU HAVE HEARD THE SECRETARY SPEAK TO THIS, SAYING, FAR TOO MANY CIVILIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED. TOO MANY AIDE WORKERS HAVE DIED IN THIS CONFLICT. TOO MANY JOURNALISTS HAVE DIED IN THIS CONFLICT.
AND WE WANT TO SEE ISRAEL DO A BETTER JOB IN MINIMIZING ALL THOSE CASUALTIES. >> ONE MORE. BIDEN ALSO IN THE SAME STATEMENT SAID THAT ISRAEL HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH TO PROTECT AIDE WORKERS AND CIVILIANS AND YOU YOURSELF SAID YOU HAVE REPEATEDLY URGED.
ISRAEL TO TAKE SOME STEPS TO MINIMIZE CIVILIAN HARM IN GAZA. IF THERE ARE STEPS THAT ISRAEL NEEDS TO TAKE AND ISRAEL CHOOSES NOT TO TAKE THEM, DOESN'T IT MEAN THAT, YOU KNOW, ISRAEL IS DELIBERATELY ATTACKING AIDE WORKERS AND CIVILIANS. >> I DON'T THINK YOU CAN.
NECESSARILY MAKE THAT CONCLUSION — >> WHY? >> — BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE ARE BUREAUCRATIC OBSTACLES THAT ARE CREATED. >> HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE KILLING OF 23,000 PALESTINIANS? >> PARTLY BECAUSE ISRAEL IS.
OPERATING IN AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT WHERE HAMAS HIDES BEHIND HUMAN SHIELDS. THEY'RE OPERATING IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT WHERE HAMAS HAS CONSTRUCTED TUNNELS BENEATH APARTMENT BUILDINGS, HIDES IN HOSPITALS, HIDES IN HOSPITALS.
LIKE AL SHIFA THAT ISRAEL HAD CLEARED. IT IS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT, AND THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES FACE REAL CHALLENGES. BUT I'LL SAY IT DOES NOT MINIMIZE AT ALL THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO EVERYTHING.
POSSIBLE TO PREVENT TAKING CIVILIAN LIFE. TOM? >> TO FOLLOW-UP ON THE SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VALUE OF INVESTIGATIONS AFTER ACTIONS BY THE IDF. YOU HAVE CALLED NUMEROUS TIMES FOR INVESTIGATIONS AFTER.
PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN RECENT YEARS. SOME OF THOSE HAVE BEEN U.S. CITIZENS. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, FEBRUARY 2022, FOUND DEAD AFTER BEING DETAINED BY ISRAELI SOLDIERS. YOU CALLED FOR A THOROUGH CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION FOR.
ACCOUNTABILITY. AS WE KNOW, MAY 2022 — CALLED FOR A FULL INVESTIGATION. JUNE 2023, A U.S. RESIDENT IN A TOWN FULL OF U.S. PASSPORT HOLDERS IN THE WEST BANK, CALLED FOR FULL ACCOUNTABILITY AND JUSTICE. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE.
OUTCOME OF THOSE THREE INVESTIGATIONS, FOR A START, AND WHAT SHOULD WE READ INTO YOUR CALL FOR INVESTIGATION IN THIS CASE? >> I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE SPECIFICS OF EVERY ONE OF THOSE INVESTIGATIONS. SOME OF THEM PREDATE MY TIME.
HERE, BEFORE I WAS WORKING WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT. I CAN SAY WITH RESPECT TO THE INVESTIGATION OF SHAH REAM ABU AK LA, WE CALLED ON ISRAEL TO INVESTIGATE, AND WE ALSO CALLED ON THEM TO COOPERATE WITH OUR INVESTIGATION. AND THEY DID COOPERATE WITH OUR.
INVESTIGATION THAT THE U.S. SECURITY COORDINATOR CONDUCTED THAT CONCLUDED THAT GUNFIRE FROM IDF POSITIONS WAS LIKELY RESPONSIBLE FOR HER TRAGIC DEATH. SO, THERE WERE STEPS THEY TOOK TO COOPERATE WITH THE INVESTIGATION THAT WE HAD.
ULTIMATELY, AS IT PERTAINS TO THE DENTAL HEALTHS OF — AND I SHOULD SAY, THERE ARE TWO CASES THAT ARE ONGOING RIGHT NOW, ONE OF AMERICAN CITIZENS KILLED IN THE WEST BANK. ONE INVESTIGATION IS BEING CONDUCTED BY ISRAELI LAW ENFORCEMENT, ONE IS BEING.
CONDUCTED BY PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND IN ALL OF THOSE CASES, WE WANT THE SAME THING. WE WANT A FULL INVESTIGATION. WE WANT IT TO HAPPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT WE DON'T WANT THAT SWIFTNESS TO COME AT THE EXPENSE OF THOROUGHNESS.
WITH RESPECT TO ALL OF THEM, WE WILL MAKE JUDGMENTS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS ON WHETHER THAT INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED FULLY AND APPROPRIATELY AND LED TO APPROPRIATE OUTCOMES AND RESULTS. >> — A VERY WELL RESPECTED ISRAELI HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO SAID IT WOULD STOP COOPERATING WITH MILITARY INVESTIGATIONS IN ISRAEL BECAUSE, IN ITS WORDS, THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A MASCARADE. DO YOU SEE THAT VIEW? DO YOU HAVE ANY SYMPATHY WITH IT? >> LET ME JUST SAY WITH RESPECT.
TO — I THINK WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE A CHANCE. ENTIRE WORLD, INCLUDING THE JOURNALISTS IN THIS ROOM, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, TO LOOK AT AN INVESTIGATION BEING CONDUCTED BY THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES WITH RESPECT TO THE KILLING OF THESE.
SEVEN WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN WORKERS. AND WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE OUR OWN INDEPENDENT JUDGMENTS ABOUT THE THOROUGHNESS AND RELIABILITY OF THAT INVESTIGATION. I KNOW WE WILL DO SO, AND I'M SURE YOU ALL WILL AS WELL.
STAN. >> I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON SAYEED AND THE QUESTION REGARDING THIS ATTACK ON THE WCK CONVOY IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. PEOPLE QUEUING FOR AID IN GAZA HAVE ALSO BEEN TARGETED BY THE ISRAELI FORCES.
AND NOW YOU'RE CALLING FOR INVESTIGATION. YOU'RE CALLING THEM TO CHANGE SOME — TO MAKE SOME CHANGES SO THIS INCIDENT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. BUT DON'T YOU THINK THAT THE U.S. SOFT APPROACH TOWARD ISRAEL IN THIS WAR ALSO LED THEM TO GET.
AWAY WITH IT, FOR EXAMPLE? >> SO, I WOULD — SORRY. SORRY. I WOULD DISAGREE WITH THE CHARACTERIZATION. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS PRESSED THEM TO DO MORE ON DECONFLICTION MEASURES, ON PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS.
AND THEY HAVE TAKEN STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT IN MOST CASES, NEARLY ALL CASES NOT ENOUGH, BUT STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TANGIBLE AND HAVE PRODUCED RESULTS. BUT WE WANT TO SEE THEM DO BETTER. THAT'S WHY WE'LL CONTINUE TO.
ENGAGE WITH THEM ON THAT. >> DO YOU THINK THAT'S BETTER ENOUGH? NORTHERN GAZA IS ON THE VERGE OF FAMINE ALREADY. AIDS ARE NOT COMING FOR A WHILE NOW, MONTHS. YOU'RE PRESSING THE ISRAELI COUNTERPARTS.
IT SEEMS DOESN'T YIELD RESULTS ANYMORE. >> I WOULD SAY YOU CAN LOOK BACK AT THE HISTORY OF OUR ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL AND SHOW WHERE IT HAS PRODUCED TANGIBLE RESULTS. AND THAT INCLUDES IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF OCTOBER.
7th RIGHT UP TO THE RECENT HISTORY, STARTING WITH THE FIRST TRIP THE SECRETARY MADE TO THE REGION WHEN HE URGED THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL TO OPRAH FA AND THE PRESIDENT CAME TWO DAYS LATER TO OPEN E RAFAH. WE ENGAGED WITH THEM TO URGE THE OPENING OF CARAM SHALOM, WHICH.
IS AN IMPORTANT STEP. THE SAME THING IS WHAT LED TO THE OPENING OF THE 96 GATE IN THE NORTH, SAME THING THAT LED TO FLOUR COMING IN, SAME THING THAT IS LEADING TO THE OPENING OF A MARITIME ROUTE TO GET MORE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN. WHEN IT COMES TO DECONFLICTION.
MEASURES, IT WAS OUR INVOLVEMENT THAT LED THEM TO IMPLEMENT THE HUMANITARIAN PAUSE, NOT JUST ONE WEEK, BUT THREE HOURS PAUSE IN THE EARLY DAYS NOTICE WHEN THEY WERE BOMBING NEIGHBORHOODS OFTEN TIMES WITH BLANKET WARNINGS BUT NOT ANY SPECIFICITY. IT WAS OUR INVOLVEMENT THAT LED.
THEM TO START OFFERING THOSE PAUSES. IT IS OUR INVOLVEMENT THAT LED TO THEM OFFERING, AS I SAID EARLIER, SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD EVACUATION RECORDS, RATHER THAN JUST THESE BLANKET ORDERS. THAT SAID, WE WANT TO SEE THEM DO MORE AND WE WANT TO SEE THEM.
DO BETTER. WE WANT TO SEE THEM TO DO BETTER, TO LET HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN, AND TO PROTECT CIVILIAN LIVES. AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE CONSISTENTLY ENGAGED WITH THEM FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
TO THE TEAM ON THE GROUND AND EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WHO WORKS ON THIS MATTER. >> THE LAST QUESTION ABOUT THE STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN'S STATEMENT REGARDING THIS ATTACK ON THE CONVOY.
THE PRESIDENT SOUNDED OUTRAGED AND HEART BROKEN AND BLAMED ISRAEL THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO PROTECT AIDE WORKERS. DOES THIS LANGUAGE SIGNAL A CHANGE IN POLICY OR JUST A STATEMENT REGARDING THIS INCIDENT? >> IT WAS A STATEMENT ABOUT THIS.
INCIDENT. BUT IT'S NOT A CHANGE IN POLICY BECAUSE WE HAVE ALWAYS, AS I SAID, CONSISTENTLY BEEN TELLING THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL THAT THEY NEED TO DO MORE TO PROTECT AIDE WORKERS AND CIVILIANS AND JOURNALISTS. NOW, WE'RE GLAD TO SEE THEM.
TAKING ADDITIONAL PRESSURES NOW. AS I SAID, THOSE MEASURES WERE OVERDUE. WE'VE BEEN URGING THEM TO DO THEM FOR SOME TIME. BUT THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE POLICY THAT WE HAVE CLEARLY COMMUNICATED THAT WE WANT THEM TO FOLLOW.
>> SORRY. JUST ONE ON THE U.S./CANADIAN DUAL NATIONAL WHO WAS AMONG THOSE KILLED. CAN YOU CONFIRM THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS REACHED OUT TO HIS FAMILY AND WHAT, IF ANY, CONSULAR SUPPORT THE U.S. CAN GIVE.
>> WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO HIS FAMILY YESTERDAY TO OFFER OUR CONDOLENCES AND OFFER ANY CONSULAR ASSISTANCE WE CAN PROVIDE. THAT IS ALWAYS OUR STANDARD PRACTICE IN THESE CASES, WHEN WE SEE AN AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO HAS TRAGICALLY LOST THEIR LIFE.
OVERSEAS, WE OFFER ANY TYPE OF ASSISTANCE WE CAN TO FACILITATE WHATEVER THEY NEED IN THE WAKE OF THIS TRAGEDY. AND WE'LL KEEP OBVIOUSLY THE DETAILS OF THAT PRIVATE, BUT WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH HIS FAMILY. LET ME JUST MAKE SURE TO STAY IN.
THE REGION. GO AHEAD. >> THANKS. IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. >> IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. >> YES, THANK YOU. REGARDING THE ATTACK ON THE IRANIAN FACILITY IN DA MASS CASS, I WAS WONDERING — WELL,.
WE KNOW THE UNITED STATES HAS SENT MESSAGES TO IRAN SAYING IT WAS NOT INVOLVED, IT HAD NO IDEA OF THIS OPERATION. I WAS WONDERING HOW WAS THE AMERICAN MESSAGE RECEIVED? WAS IT ACCEPTED DO YOU THINK, CONSIDERING THAT THERE ARE NOW A NUMBER OF OFFICIALS THREATENING.
RETALIATION? >> SO, I AM NOT GOING TO SPEAK TO HOW IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. THE IRANIANS CAN SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. I WOULD JUST SAY WE MADE VERY CLEAR TO THE IRANIANS THAT WE HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN THIS.
STRIKE. WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT AT THE TIME. AND WE WARNED THEM NOT TO USE THIS ATTACK AS A PRETEXT TO ATTACK U.S. FACILITIES OR PERSONNEL. >> SINCE THEN, HAVE YOU — HAS THE ADMINISTRATION POSSIBLY.
FOLLOWED UP WITH REACHING OUT TO AN INTERMEDIARY, A COUNTRY THAT IRAN TRUSTS TO HONE IN THAT MESSAGE. >> I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK TO OUR RANGE OF DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENTS. AS WE HAVE MADE CLEAR OVER A NUMBER OF MONTHS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEND MESSAGES, VERY.
CLEAR MESSAGES, TO IRAN BOTH DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY. AND WE DO SO WHEN IT'S IN OUR INTEREST. >> MATT, DO YOU KNOW — HAS THE ADMINISTRATION BEEN ABLE TO ASCERTAIN THE FACILITY, THE IRANIAN FACILITY, WAS INDEED A DIPLOMATIC ONE AS IRAN CLAIMS?.
>> WE ARE STILL GATHERING DETAILS ABOUT WHAT PRECISELY TYPE OF FACILITY THAT WAS. >> AND GIVEN THE IRANIAN RESPONSE OR THREATS, ARE YOU U.S. INTERESTS, TROOPS, IN THE REGION AND ACROSS THE WORLD, HAVE THEY BEEN PUT ON ALERT? >> I WOULD DEFER TO THE PENTAGON.
TO SPEAK TO THAT. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE BEEN BROADLY — EXCUSE ME. WE HAVE BEEN BROADLY — I'M NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE PENTAGON BUT JUST ON BEHALF OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT — BROADLY CONCERNED ABOUT ESCALATION SINCE OCTOBER 7th.
YOU'VE SEEN US TAKE A NUMBER OF STEPS OVER TIME WITH RESPECT TO OUR EMBASSIES. WE ARE CONSTANTLY MONITORING THE SITUATION AND MAKING ASSESSMENTS ABOUT THE PRECISE THREAT ENVIRONMENT AT ANY GIVEN DAY. BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES TO ANNOUNCE.
AND WITH RESPECT TO AMERICAN FORCES IN THE REGION, I WOULD DEFER TO THE PENTAGON FOR COMMENT. GO AHEAD. >> QUESTIONS BASICALLY — FIRST QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY — IT SOUNDS LIKE U.S. HAVE NO — ON THIS ISRAELI STRIKE.
>> WE DO NOT SUPPORT ATTACKS ON DIPLOMATIC FACILITIES. AS I SAID WITH RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION, WE'RE GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT THE FACILITY. >> MY OTHER QUESTION IS REGARDING THE UNITED STATES POSITION ON THE — AS THE STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUED MANY.
STATEMENTS IN THIS DAILY — SO IT SEEMS LIKE UNITED STATES HAVE VERY STRONG POSITION CONDEMNING THE — BUT REGARDING THE POLITICAL PRISONERS IN PAKISTAN, SPECIFICALLY THE FEMALE PRISONERS — >> SO, I WOULD — I WOULD NOT AGREE WITH THAT.
CHARACTERIZATION. WE HAVE MADE CLEAR ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS THAT WE WANT TO SEE EVERYONE IN PAKISTAN TREATED CONSISTENT WITH THE RULE OF LAW, TREATED WITH RESPECT TO HUMAN RIGHTS, AS IS OUR POSITION WITH ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. >> IT'S BEEN 110 DAYS SINCE –.
65 DAYS SINCE — KILLED. TODAY SHOULD BE — BIRTHDAY, OUR PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN COLLEAGUE, I MIGHT ADD, KILLED IN 2022. SO, I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE UPDATES ON NOT JUST THE INVESTIGATIONS BUT ACTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES IN RESPONSE TO THESE.
AND IF NOT, HOW CAN THIS ADMINISTRATION'S APPROACH TO RELEGATING THINGS TO MONTHS-LONG ADMINISTRATION WHILE NOT CHANGING POLICY, ALL AS THOUSANDS MORE ARE KILLED, BE A JUSTIFIED APPROACH? >> I WOULD SAY SHARIE NA DID SPEAK TO THAT A MOMENT AGO.
WE CONDEMNED HER KILLED WHEN IT HAPPENED. THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY THE UNITED STATES THAT FOUND NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THAT DEATH WAS INTENTIONAL, BUT IT IS A TRAGEDY NONETHELESS. WITH RESPECT TO INVESTIGATIONS. INVESTIGATIONS IN SOME CASES.
TAKE TIME. YOU HEARD ME A MINUTE AGO SAY WE WANT THEM IN EVERY CASE TO BE CONDUCTED SWIFTLY, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THOROUGHNESS. AND THAT IS OUR POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THESE INVESTIGATIONS IN ISRAEL. IT IS OUR RESPECT TO.
INVESTIGATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHETHER THEY IMPACT AN AMERICAN CITIZEN OR THEY INVOLVE OTHER TYPES OF TRAGEDY. SO, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR NOT JUST FULL INVESTIGATIONS BUT, WHEN WARRANTED, ALL APPROPRIATE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES.
>> GIVEN THAT APPROACH, I UNDERSTAND, BUT GIVEN, AGAIN, THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED, THE JOURNALIST KILLING. HOW IS THIS JUSTIFIED, BEGIVEN,S YOU'VE SAID YOURSELF, THE MATERIAL CONSEQUENCE MATTER. THE FACT SO MANY AIDE WORKERS.
HAVE BEEN KILLED MATTER. WHAT MATTERS IS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CONTINUE TO BE KILLED WITH NO CHANGE OF POLICY. >> SO, THERE ARE TWO THINGS HERE. I THINK ONE IS WITH RESPECT TO INVESTIGATIONS. AND WE WANT TO SEE.
ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES WHEN APPROPRIATE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEHAVED INAPPROPRIATELY IN VIOLATION OF IDF CODE OF CONDUCT OR IN VIOLATION OF HUMANITARIAN LAW. WE WANT TO SEE ACCOUNTABILITY INSIDE THE ISRAELI SYSTEM. BUT IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT WE HAVE.
PRESSED THE GOVERNMENT TO ENACT OPERATIONAL CHANGES TO PREVENT FURTHER CIVILIAN LOSS OF LIFE. AND WE HAVE SEEN THEM, AS I'VE SPOKEN TO AT LENGTH, CHANGES OVER TIME, THOSE HAVEN'T BEEN SUFFICIENT. WE HAVE SEEN MINISTER GALANT ANNOUNCE NEW CHANGES THEY'RE.
PUTTING IN PLACE JUST YESTERDAY. AND WE'RE GOING TO WATCH THOSE AND MAKE OUR JUDGMENTS BASED ON HOW THEY WORK. >> HUNDREDS OF AIDE WORKERS, DOCTORS, VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN KILLED EVEN BEFORE THIS WEEK, U.S. HAS CUT FUNDING TO UNRWA — PAUSING OUT OF FEAR OF THEIR.
WORKERS BEING CLEARED. YOU THINK ABOUT THE MR. ROGERS CLUB, WHEN I WAS A BOY AND I WOULD SEE SCARY THINGS IN THE NEWS, MY MOTHER WOULD SAY, LOOK FOR THE HELPERS. YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE HELPING. I WOULD IMAGINE YOU AND YOUR.
COLLEAGUES ARE COMING INTO THIS WORK WANTING TO BE HELPERS TOO. WHAT'S THE UNITED STATES' MESSAGE TO THE HELPERS IN THE WORLD TRYING TO HELP THE PEOPLE IN GAZA, GIVEN THOSE HELPERS ARE BEING KILLED WITH AMERICAN MILITARY AID? >> YOU SAW THE SECRETARY SPEAK.
TO THIS YESTERDAY, SPEAKING IN PARIS ABOUT HOW AIDE WORKERS ARE THE HELPERS THAT RUN IN TO CONFLICT TO PROVIDE THOSHELP TO THOSE WHO NEED IT. OUR MESSAGE IS WE SUPPORT THE WORK YOU DO, WE FUND THE WORK AID ORGANIZATIONS DO IN ISRAEL, THE IN GAZA, ALL AROUND THE.
WORLD, AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE CLEAR TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL THAT IT NEEDS TO DO MUCH BETTER TO PROTECT THOSE WORKERS FROM HARM. ANY MORE IN THE REGION BEFORE WE MOVE ON? WE'LL FINISH HERE, THEN I'LL TAKE A FEW.
>> YOU SAID YOU DON'T EXPECT THAT THIS ATTACK IS GOING TO IMPACT THE HUMANITARIAN PIER BEING SET UP AND THE SUPPORT FROM THAT PIER GETTING TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO. >> NO, WHAT I WAS SPEAKING TO IS THE — YOU HAVE TO — WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PIER, THINK.
ABOUT THE SAME WAY I THINK DELIVERY THROUGH OPERATING OR ANYWHERE ELSE. THERE IS BOTH GETTING AID IN THROUGH THE PIER AND INTO GAZA, THAT'S THE FIRST STEP. AND THERE'S THE DELIVERY OF THE AIDE INSIDE GAZA. WE DO NOT EXPECT IT WOULD IMPACT.
THE FACT. OF COURSE THE ABILITY TO DELIVER AID INSIDE GAZA, WHICH IS WHAT WE SAW TRAGICALLY IMPACTED YESTERDAY, CONTINUES TO BE AN ONGOING CONCERN. SO, IT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL IMPROVE DECONFLICTION AND COORDINATION.
MEASURES. >> SO, COULD THIS INCIDENT DELAY THAT PIER BEING UP AND RUNNING AND GETTING THE SUPPORT TO PEOPLE? >> I WOULD REFER TO THE PENTAGON FOR ANY COMMENT ABOUT THE TIMELINE OF THIS PIER, WHICH YOU SHOULD NOT READ INTO ONE WAY OR.
THE OTHER, OTHER THAN IT'S A PROJECT THEY ARE MANAGING. I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK TO FROM HERE. >> TO FOLLOW-UP ON THAT ONE, HAVE YOU HAD, SINCE YESTERDAY, ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH PENTAGON OR WITH ANY POSSIBLE HUMANITARIAN AID PARTNERS ON THE.
GROUND ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW CONCERNED THEY ARE BECAUSE NOW IT WOULD BE EXPECTED THAT PERHAPS THEY WOULD LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY AND SECURITY? >> WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH HUMANITARIAN A.
AID ORGANIZATIONS WHO, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, ARE INCREDIBLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. BUT THE SAD TRUTH IS WE'VE SPOKEN TO — SOME OF YOU HAVE MENTIONED IN YOUR QUESTIONS, I'VE SPOKEN TO — IT'S NOT THE FIRST DEATH OF AIDE WORKERS. THERE HAVE BEEN 200 AIDE WORKERS.
THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED. SO, THE SAD TRUTH IS THAT THE WORKERS DOING THIS IMPORTANT WORK ARE AWARE OF THE RISKS BECAUSE THEY'RE LIVING WITH THEM EVERY DAY AND ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES POTENTIALLY ON THE LINE TO DELIVER HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE. SO, WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM AID.
GROUPS IS THEY WANT TO SEE THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL TO DO BETTER. >> AND HAVE YOU PICKED A PARTNER ON WHO'S GOING TO DISTRIBUTE FROM THAT PIER, WHO'S GOING TO PICK IT UP FROM THE PIER? >> I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY FURTHER UPDATES OR DEVELOPMENTS ON THAT.
QUESTION. IT'S SOMETHING WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON. >> JUST A COUPLE OTHER THINGS. IS IT STATE DEPARTMENT OR IS IT U.S. UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S ALREADY FAMINE IN GAZA? YOU HAVE WARNED IMMINENT RISK. IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT.
THERE IS ALREADY FAMINE IN — >> I AM NOT AWARE OF AN ASSESSMENT THERE IS CURRENTLY FAMINE. THERE ARE PLACES WHERE WE HAVE A LOOK OF INFORMATION, PARTICULARLY IN NORTHERN GAZA, WHERE IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THERE IS ACUTE FOOD SECURITY AND.
THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FAMINE. WHAT'S ACTUALLY OCCURRING ON THE GROUND IS VERY DIFFICULT TO KNOW. BOTTOM LINE IS THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE FOOD DELIVERED TO PEOPLE WHO DESPERATELY NEED IT. IF FAMINE IS NOT ALREADY OCCURRING, THERE ARE THESE PARTS.
OF GAZA THAT ARE ON THE BRINK OF FAMINE. AND WE NEED TO GET FOOD IN TO THOSE PEOPLE. >> AND TWO MORE THINGS. PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY WANTS A VOTE AT THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL IN APRIL TO BECOME A FULL MEMBER.
DOES THE U.S. OPPOSE THIS? AND IF NECESSARY, WOULD YOU VETO IT? >> I'M NOT GOING TO SPECULATE ABOUT WHAT MAY HAPPEN DOWN THE ROAD, BUT WE HAVE ALWAYS MADE CLEAR THAT WE BELIEVE THE — WHILE WE SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT.
PALESTINIAN STATE — TRY TO ESTABLISH A PALESTINIAN STATE WITH SECURITY GUARANTEES WERE ISRAEL, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DONE THROUGH DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PARTIES, SOMETHING WE ARE PURSUING AT THIS TIME, AND NOT AT THE UNITED NATIONS.
>> FINAL THING IS — SORRY, I'M ALMOST DONE. KIRBY SAID YESTERDAY ON THE PODIUM THAT STATE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT FOUND ISRAEL'S MILITARY CONDUCT HAS VIOLATED INTERNATIONAL MILITARY LAW. HIS COMMENT SOUNDED CONCLUSIVE AND DEFINITIVE.
SO, I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP AND CLARIFY. DOES THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAVE SUCH A DEFINITIVE CONCLUSION THAT IT HAS LOOKED AT ALL OF THE INCIDENTS RAISED SO FAR, AND YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE INCIDENTS AND THE REVIEW ON THOSE HAVE BEEN CONCLUDED.
AND AS A RESULT, YOU HAVE A DEFINITIVE ASSESSMENT THAT NO VIOLATIONS — >> SO, I SAW WHAT THE ADMIRAL SAID. HE ALSO SAID WE HAVE ONGOING PROCESSES HERE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT. THAT IS CORRECT.
WE HAVE ONGOING FPROCESSES HERE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO EXAMINE THAT VERY QUESTION. AND WE HAVE NOT, AT THE TIME, CONCLUDED ISRAEL HAS VIOLATED INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW. THESE ARE ONGOING PROCESSES WITH RESPECT TO THAT QUESTION. >> HAVE ANY OF THOSE — WHEN.
YOU'RE MAKING ASSESSMENTS, HAVE ANY OF THOSE GONE TO THE OFFICE OF — >> I HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF INTERNAL DELIBERATIONS AND HOW WE'RE CONDUCTING THOSE PROCESSES. >> IT'S ABOUT INTERNATIONAL.
HUMANITARIAN LAW, SO IT'S A LEGAL — >> AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OFFICES INSIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THESE ASSESSMENTS. >> ARE YOU SAYING HOW MANY — TOTAL YOU'RE LOOKING AT? >> A NUMBER OF THEM.
I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. GO AHEAD. >> BACK TO U.S. PRESSURE, THE SECRETARY SEEMED TO SUGGEST THAT RUSSIA HAS ALREADY RECEIVED IRANIAN BALLISTIC MISSILES AND HAS USED IT IN UKRAINE. DID THE SECRETARY MEAN TO SAY THAT?.
WAS IT TRANSLATION ERROR? I SHOULD MENTION HE WAS SPEAKING FRENCH. >> HE WAS SPEAKING FRENCH, AND WE HAVE MADE CLEAR WE HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE BURGEONING SECURITY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN IRAN AND RUSSIA. THE SECRETARY WAS SPEAKING TO.
THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE DELIVERED DRONES ALREADY. >> THE SECRETARY EARLIER TODAY, IF YOU LOOK AT AS OF JANUARY, THIS WEEK'S MEETING — AND HE SAID THAT — WILL LEAD TO ESCALATION AND TENSION. >> SO, I — WITH RESPECT TO THAT, I AM GOING TO DEFER TO A.
STATEMENT THAT WE HAVE COMING OUT SHORTLY. THE PRESIDENT SPOKE TO — I'M SORRY. THE SECRETARY SPOKE TO PRESIDENT ALIYAH EARLIER TODAY AND WE'LL HAVE A READ OUTCOMING. >> ABOUT THE POINT MADE, THE SECRETARY –.
>> WE'LL SPEAK TO THAT IN THE READOUT. THE MEETING IS STILL ONGOING. >> ON GEORGIA, DO YOU HAVE ANY — REINTRODUCE RUSSIAN LAW. THEY TRIED LAST YEAR. THEY FAILED. >> WE'VE SEEN REPORTS THAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING THAT POTENTIAL.
LEGISLATION. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT LAST YEAR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GEORGIANS TOOK TO THE STREETS TO MAKE THEIR EUROPEAN AMBITIONS KNOWN IS EXAM TO REJECT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAW. GEORGIA HAS A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN EU SECURITY.
TALKS AND WE SUPPORT GEORGIA IN THAT PROCESS. >> IT APPEARS THE ADMINISTRATION REMOVED THREE OF RUSSIAN SANCTIONS TARGETING — SUBSIDIARIES TWO MONTHS AGO AGAINST RUSSIAN OLIGARCH BECAUSE OF CENTRAL VIOLATIONS. WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THAT.
DECISION? >> WITH RESPECT TO THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION, I'LL REFER YOU TO THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT. I WILL NOTE WE HAVE CONTINUED TO IMPOSE NEW SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA, INCLUDING JUST IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND HAVE TAKEN MEASURES TO TIGHTEN THE ENFORCEMENT OR.
EXISTING SANCTIONS. >> — UGANDA TODAY STARTS OUT A BIT TO UNDO THE ANTI-LGBTQ LAW. I WAS WONDERING IF THE U.S. HAS ANY REACTION TO THE COURT RULING AND WHETHER THIS WILL HAVE IMPLICATIONS ON POLICY TOWARD UGANDA. >> THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES.
TO BE DEEPLY TROUBLED BY HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN UGANDA AND THE ANTIHOMOSEXUALITY ACT. WE BELIEVE THAT UNDERMINES THE PROSPERITY AND WELFARE OF ALL UGANDANS. — PART OF THE BROADER DEGRADATION HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTIONS THAT PUTS ALL UGANDA.
AT RISK AND DAMAGES THE COUNTRY'S REPUTATION ABROAD. AND WITH RESPECT TO UNITED STATES ACTIONS, WE HAVE ALREADY IMPOSED SANCTIONS, INCLUDING A VISA RESTRICTION POLICY. WE HAVE ENDED UGANDA'S ELIGIBILITY FOR THE AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT,.
CURTAILED DIRECT GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT FUNDING TO PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED WITH UGANDA, ISSUED A BUSINESS ADVISORY, TRAVEL ADVISORY, AND ADVOCATED FOR FULL COMPLIANCE — IN WORLD BANK LENDING, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE MEASURES. >> JUST A VERY BRIEF FOLLOW-UP.
IT'S NOT THE ONLY PLACE IN AFRICA WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING. GHANA, THERE'S A DEBATE THERE. IS THERE A CONCERN ABOUT BROADER PUSH AGAINST LGBTQ EQUALITY. IS THERE ANY COMMUNICATION? >> WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED BY LEGISLATION UNDER CONSIDERATION ELSEWHERE IN AFRICA AND.
GLOBALLY. IT'S NOT JUST IN AFRICA THAT TARGETS LGBTQI+ PERSONS AND THEIR ALLIES. WE BELIEVE GOVERNMENTS SHOULD PROTECT ALL INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR COUNTRY AND EVERY PERSON DESERVES FULL DIGNITY, AND THESE LAWS WHETHER THEY BE IN AFRICA.
OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD UNDERMINE PROSPERITY AND WELFARE OF INDIVIDUALS AND RISK DAMAGE OF THEIR COUNTRY'S REPUTATION ABROAD. >> WOULD YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON THE EARTHQUAKE IN TAIWAN, THE WORST IN 25 YEARS? >> I WOULD SAY FIRST AND.
FOREMOST, WE EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE AT LEAST NINE PEOPLE DEAD AND 900 INJURED AND THEIR FAMILIES AND EVERY WHO WAS AFFECTED. WE STAND READY TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE OF TAIWAN AT THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
USAID STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI WARNINGS AND WILL REMAIN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE IN TAIWAN AND ARE READY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IF NECESSARY. >> ALSO WITH THE AIT CHAIR PERSONNEL, WOULD YOU HAVE A.
MESSAGE AHEAD OF THE INAUGURATION NEXT MONTH OF TAIWAN'S PRESIDENT-ELECT? >> I WOULD SAY THE CHAIR WILL MEET WITH POLITICAL FIGURES AND SCHOLARS FROM ACROSS PARTY LINES TO DISCUSS CONTINUED U.S.-TAIWAN ISSUES, MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT AND PEOPLE.
TO PEOPLE EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL TIES. BUT BROADLY U.S. POLICY HAS NOT CHANGED. WE HAVE A LONG-STANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH TAIWAN, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT RELATIONSHIP THROUGH THE TAIWAN POLITICAL TRANSITION.
>> ON EQUALITY, THE SECRETARY ANNOUNCED A NEW CHIEF TEI OFFICER YESTERDAY, THAT THERE'S CRITICISM INTERNALLY AND OUTSIDE ON WHY THIS TOOK SO LONG. THE DECISION WAS TAKEN FOR TEN MONTHS AND DOESN'T REQUIRE SENATE CONFIRMATION. WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG IF THIS.
IS SUCH A TOP PRIORITY? >> WE ARE WORKING TO FIND THE BEST POSSIBLE CANDIDATE, AND WE BELIEVE WE DID FIND THE BEST POSSIBLE CANDIDATE. OFTEN TIMES WHEN IT COMES TO THESE JOBS, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH DIFFICULT BUREAUCRATIC PROCEDURES TO FILL BASIC.
POSITIONS. BUT I WILL SAY THE EMPHASIS THAT THE SECRETARY HAS PUT ON THIS JOB HAS NOT WAVERED AND HAS PUT ON THIS ISSUE HAS NOT WAVERED THROUGHOUT THAT TIME. AND THAT OUR WORK TO EXPAND DIVERSITY HAS CONTINUED SINCE THE OUTSET OF THIS.
ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE THE SECRETARY BELIEVES THAT HAVING A WORKFORCE THAT REFLECTS AMERICA AND ALL ITS DIVERSITY MAKES US STRONGER AND IMPROVES NATIONAL SECURITY. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THIS NEW DIVERSITY OFFICER TO EXPAND THE WORK THAT WE'RE.
ALREADY DOING. TAKE ONE MORE, THEN WE'RE OUT FOR THE DAY. >> THANK YOU. INTERNAL INVESTIGATION HAS FOUND THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS — IN NEW YORK. ACCORDING TO MEDIA, THAT REPORT.
WAS ALSO SHARED WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT. DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPONSE ON THAT BECAUSE YOU WERE ALSO WAITING ON THAT? >> I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK TO MEDIA REPORTS. I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE MADE CLEAR TO THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
THAT WE WANT TO SEE THEM CONDUCT A FULL INVESTIGATION. AND WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF THAT INVESTIGATION, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES. >> ACCORDING TO MEDIA REPORTS, NATIONS HAS DELIVERED MORE THAN $2.9 BILLION IN CASH SINCE THE.
TALIBAN SEIZED CONTROL. EVERYTHING IN THE FLOW OF U.S. EXTREMIST GROUP. IS THIS HAPPENING WITH THE CONSULTATION OF U.S. GOVERNMENT? >> NO, NOT AT ALL. LET ME MAKE CLEAR THAT WE REQUIRE ALL OUR PARTNERS TO HAVE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE.
WE ALSO REQUIRE ROBUST MONITORING AND REPORTING FROM PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS IMPLEMENTING THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THOSE IN UNSTABLE AND UNFRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTS. WHEN THERE IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN RELATED TO THE DELIVERY OF.
ASSISTANCE, WE HAVE PLANS AND PROTOCOLS IN PLACE TO RESPOND, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR ALL OF OUR ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND SEEK TO MITIGATE THE RISK THAT THE — TALIBAN OR DIVERTED TO UNINTENDED — >> — PRESIDENT BIDEN'S LETTER — REGIONAL PROSPERITY.
WHAT SUPPORT CAN THE U.S. OFFER PAKISTAN IN ADDRESSING SECURITY CONCERNS? >> SO, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO EXPAND THE SECURITY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND PAKISTAN. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THAT A NUMBER OF TIMES FROM THIS PODIUM.
IT'S BEEN A PRIORITY FOR US AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. WITH THAT, I'LL WRAP FOR THE DAY. THANKS.
