‘Who Is To Blame?’: Karine Jean-Pierre Asked Point Blank About Reports Of Famine In Gaza

5 months ago

During Thursday's White House press briefing, Karine Jean-Pierre was asked who’s responsible for the reported famine in Gaza.

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Transcript

00:00 Two quick ones.

00:01 First, following up on Weijia, in the White House's view,

00:04 who is to blame for the famine or imminent famine

00:07 that we're witnessing right now in Gaza?

00:09 Here's our focus.

00:10 And I get the question.

00:11 And the humanitarian situation in Gaza obviously is dire.

00:20 And that is why the President is doing everything that he can

00:22 to get more humanitarian aid in.

00:25 And that's what our focus is going to be.

00:27 Was it a mistake not to push Benjamin Netanyahu sooner to

00:31 open Ashdod and Eretz Crossing, which would have allowed the

00:33 prevention of what Samantha Power agrees is famine in

00:36 northern Gaza?

00:37 Well, here's the thing.

00:38 For every time the President has spoken to the Prime Minister,

00:43 part of that conversation has been to do more

00:46 in humanitarian aid.

00:47 So why did it change now?

00:49 It didn't change.

00:50 It was a continued -- it was the conversation that --

00:53 Why did Netanyahu respond differently now?

00:55 That's a conversation for the Prime Minister.

00:57 The potential that the U.S. would change policy is the

00:59 President's -- That is a question for the Prime Minister.

01:02 But what I want to make sure that is very clear here is that

01:05 we have seen a thousand trucks go into Gaza over the last three

01:09 days -- that is important.

01:10 They have -- the Prime Minister made commitments.

01:13 They are upholding their commitments.

01:14 We want to see more.

01:15 We've seen good progress.

01:17 And what we're seeing in Gaza, obviously,

01:19 we have said over and over again,

01:21 the situation, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire.

01:25 Can you help -- last question.

01:26 Can you help me understand one thing?

01:27 Yesterday, the President made very clear that the U.S.'s

01:29 commitment to Israel is, in his words -- he said it twice --

01:33 "ironclad."

01:35 How can the U.S.'s commitment to Israel be "ironclad" when,

01:38 in the statement released on behalf of the White House last

01:41 week after his conversation with Benjamin Netanyahu,

01:43 he said that the U.S. would reassess its policy as it

01:47 relates to Israel, given the way it prosecutes the war in Gaza?

01:51 So it's going to be ironclad and be reassessed?

01:54 Look, this is an important relationship that we have

01:57 with Israel.

01:58 It is a -- they are our friends, and we have always said that we

02:04 are committed to make sure that Israel's security,

02:06 especially against these threats that we're hearing from Iran,

02:10 that they are protected.

02:11 And we -- and that is ironclad.

02:13 We've always been consistent there.

02:15 And we're going to continue to be very clear about that.

02:18 The President made sure to put that at the top of his press

02:22 conference because he wanted to continue that message,

02:24 continue the message of making sure that America,

02:28 we support Israel's security, especially against these threats

02:32 that we're hearing from Iran and also their proxies.

02:35 And so that hasn't changed.

02:37 That hasn't changed.

02:38 The Press: Thank you, Kayleigh.

02:39 Just another on Israel.

02:41 House Republicans are expected to bring up this resolution

02:43 that's critical of the President's work with Netanyahu.

02:48 They say in the resolution they oppose efforts to place

02:51 one-sided pressure on Israel with respect to Gaza,

02:54 including calls for an immediate ceasefire.

02:57 Does the White House have any view on the resolution

02:59 as it's constructed?

03:00 Ambassador Rice: So we believe the entire premise of the resolution is

03:04 certainly flawed -- is flawed, as it claimed one-sided pressure

03:10 against Israel, which this administration has supported

03:12 militarily, diplomatically, and in myriad of other ways,

03:16 both since October 7th and from our first day in office.

03:19 So we oppose it and we call on members to vote against it.

03:24 The Press: And just one more.

03:25 The steelworkers union, David McCall,

03:27 the leader of David McCall was at the dinner last night.

03:31 He obviously opposes this deal with Nikodet Steel.

03:34 Was he invited because of this pending deal?

03:38 Was it an opportunity to allow him to speak to --

03:40 Ambassador Rice: I wouldn't make that connection.

03:41 I wouldn't make that connection.

‘Who Is To Blame?’: Karine Jean-Pierre Asked Point Blank About Reports Of Famine In Gaza

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