US State Department faces embarrassing blow over Israel war
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In a recent press conference held at the US State Department, spokesperson Mathew Miller faced intense criticism for his handling of questions regarding the killing of Palestinian children and civilians by Israel amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
Journalists directed multiple inquiries to Miller during the press conference, but he chose to avoid addressing them directly. For instance, journalist Sam Husseini pressed Miller on urging Israel to refrain from actions that harm Palestinian civilians, but Miller sidestepped the question and redirected the discussion.
Husseini expressed frustration by stating, "People in Palestine are being bombed, and you are completely silent, effectively giving Israel a green light. This is absurd."
In another instance, journalist Said Arikat questioned Israel's status as a democracy and the international view that cutting off essential services like water, electricity, food, and medicine is considered a war crime.
Arikat asked if the US called on Israel to stop restricting humanitarian aid in Palestine. However, Miller argued that Israel had the "right" to respond forcefully to recent acts of terrorism by Hamas. He remarked, "Do you expect Israel to follow international law after the terrorist attack by Hamas?"
The discussion also touched on the intentional targeting of civilians by Israel and the awareness of Palestinian children being killed. In response, Miller referred to "public reports" without directly addressing these concerns.
A significant moment occurred when Max Blumenthal, the editor of The Grayzone News, raised issues regarding the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and Israel's "genocidal rhetoric."
Blumenthal confronted Miller with questions about the deaths of Palestinian children resulting from Israeli bombings in residential areas. Miller's response emphasized Israel's right to protect itself in the wake of a terrorist attack by Hamas, emphasizing the need for the country to defend itself as others would.
