WASHINGTON (AP) — Obama administration officials were fuming Monday over a torrent of Israeli criticism of Secretary of State John Kerry’s latest bid to secure a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
In unusually harsh language, officials said the criticism of Kerry could put the relationship between the U.S. and Israel in jeopardy. They also said the personal attacks on Kerry crossed a line and were particularly disappointing at a time of active conflict.
Israeli media commentators have leveled almost nonstop criticism at Kerry in recent days over his attempts to bring Qatar and Turkey — two countries viewed by Israel as strong Hamas supporters — into the cease-fire negotiations. Kerry was also being accused of abandoning some of Israel’s key demands during the negotiations. (more…)

Despite the obfuscations Charlie Rose keeps asking, and ultimately gets to the truth of the matter. Hamas refuses to accept the right of Israel to exist – period.
Hamas believes Israel is “occupying their land”, and what they mean by “their land” is anywhere near or around where Hamas chooses to place themselves. Hamas believes at their core that Israel needs to be destroyed and wiped off the face of the earth.

How is it possible to find “compromise” with a foundational position that you must be destroyed?

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama own this outcome !
(Via Fox News) The United States shut down its embassy in Libya Saturday and evacuated its diplomats to neighboring Tunisia under U.S. military escort amid a significant deterioration in security in Tripoli as fighting intensified between rival militias, the State Department said.
“Due to the ongoing violence resulting from clashes between Libyan militias in the immediate vicinity of the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli, we have temporarily relocated all of our personnel out of Libya,” spokeswoman Marie Harf said.
The withdrawal underscored the Obama administration’s concern about the heightened risk to American diplomats abroad, particularly in Libya where memories of the deadly 2012 attack on the U.S. mission in the eastern city of Benghazi are still vivid and the political uproar over it remain fresh ahead of a new congressional investigation into the incident. A senior military official told Fox News the Pentagon has been advising the State Department leave the post for weeks.  (read more)

…. and now we know why Kerry was so insistent on a cease fire.  Hamas was getting their asses kicked, they need time to recover and reconstitute.

(TJP)  Operating behind enemy lines in Gaza during the conflict with Hamas, the elite Maglan unit has attacked dozens of terrorists cells that fired on the IDF, destroyed areas used to launch rockets at Israel, and killed and injured 40 terrorists in recent days.
A senior source from the unit revealed that its members have targeted Hamas gunmen waiting in ambush for the IDF’s Ground Forces, striking the threats right before Israeli forces pass by the ambushes.
The Maglan unit has detected and destroyed forward Hamas posts and rocket launchers. It has detected a cross-border underground attack tunnel leading into Israel from Gaza, and found 20 bomb-laden, booby-trapped homes in Gaza. The unit also uncovered a very large quantity of weapons, and enemy intelligence files in raids. (more…)

“We need to raise our voices, make ourselves citizens, sign up to vote and punish those who speak ill and criminalize children who come to our border”
~ Congressman Luis Gutierrez (in Spanish to rousing cheers)

SUITLAND, MARYLAND – (WJLA) – Prince George’s County police are reporting that Amos Jones, the man stabbed to death in Suitland early Tuesday morning, was murdered by MS-13 gang members.

Six people have been arrested in the murder of Amos Jones, several of whom are confirmed to be members of MS-13. Photo collage: WJLA
Police told ABC7 News Wednesday that six people have been arrested for Jones’ death, several of whom are confirmed to be members of MS-13. (more…)

It’s tough to know which is more laughable:  #1)The United Nations expressed shock that Iranian missiles used by Hamas were openly stored in a U.N. Gaza school;  or, #2) The United Nations expressed regret the Hamas missiles subsequently went missing; or, #3) The United Nations expressed outrage the Hamas missiles were given back to Hamas for use against Israel.

NEW YORK – The UN secretary-general on Wednesday said he was “alarmed” to hear that rockets were placed in a UN-run school in Gaza and now “have gone missing,” and he demanded a full review of such incidents.
A statement by the spokesman for Ban Ki-moon expressed the UN chief’s “outrage and regret” at the placement of weapons at a site run by the global organization. The UN says that has happened at least twice so far in the current fighting.
“Those responsible are turning schools into potential military targets, and endangering the lives of innocent children,” UN staff and anyone seeking shelter, the statement said. (more…)

ROME – A Sudanese court sentenced Mariam Yehya Ibrahim to death because of her Christian faith, but now she’s arrived safely in Rome, where she had a private meeting with Pope Francis. (more…)

More evidence.   Just in case you were wondering what the current “trust level” is between Egypt and the U.S regime….

EGYPT – Secretary of State John Kerry defied a Federal Aviation Administration ban and flew into Israel’s main airport Wednesday in a sign of sheer will to achieve a cease-fire agreement in the warring Gaza Strip despite little evidence of progress in ongoing negotiations aimed at halting fighting that’s left at least 31 Israelis and 650 Palestinians dead.

Kerry: “me? you don’t trust me”?  el Sisi: “you do work for Obama, no”?

Kerry’s arrival in Israel came as Israeli troops battled Hamas militants near a southern Gaza Strip town as dozens of Palestinian families trapped by the fighting scrambled to flee the area.
It also came as Israel closed the border crossing into Gaza at Erez “until further notice,” citing the heavy fighting.
Kerry planned to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during what appeared to be a crucial day in the flailing talks. (more…)