Dec 31, 2008 1:45 pm US/Eastern
Bush Talks To Olmert About Gaza Violence
CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) ―
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The White House says President George W. Bush personally appealed to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for peace in the violence-scarred Mideast. (File)
Lefteris Pitarakis-Pool/Getty Images
President George W. Bush on Wednesday discussed with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ways to "end the violence" in the Mideast, the White House said.
Presidential spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters that the president consulted by phone early Wednesday with the Israeli leader from Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. The call came amid new indications that Israel is not interested in the push by the United States, Europe and others for a two-day cease-fire.
Bush voiced concern about the strikes in Gaza and the attacks in Israel and also raised again his worries about civilian casualties in Gaza. Johndroe said that Olmert gave Bush assurances that Israel is focusing its attack on the Hamas leadership governing the Gaza Strip and that it is trying to limit civilian casualties.
Bush has been constantly monitoring the air strikes into the Gaza Strip, which Israel launched last Saturday in response to the rocket strikes directed at the Jewish state by the militant Hamas organization.
Asked specifically what concern the administration voiced about the violence of recent days, Johndroe said: "President Bush is disappointed that Hamas continues to fire rockets on the innocent people of Israel."
"President Bush wants to see an end to the violence. I know Prime Minister wants to see an end to the violence," the spokesman sazid. "We want to see a cease-fire that's durable and lasting and the most important thing is that Hamas respect it. They had a cease-fire until about Dec. 19 ... but then they failed to renew the cease-fire and substantially increase the level that forced the Israelis to live in bomb shelters."
"The onus is on Hamas," Johndroe said.
He added that officials are seeing "a good flow" of medical and food supplies into Gaza, addressing a concern that Bush raised earlier.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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