{"id":199988,"date":"2014-10-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T17:53:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?p=199988"},"modified":"2019-03-12T17:53:14","modified_gmt":"2019-03-12T17:53:14","slug":"auto-insert-199988","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/auto-insert-199988\/","title":{"rendered":"US State Dept. spokesperson says Haram al-Sharif\/Temple Mount should be reopened to Muslim worshippers – USDoS press briefing\/Non-±¬ÁÏÍø document (excerpts)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Jen Psaki Washington, DC<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n October 30, 2014<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n \/…<\/p><\/div>\n MIDDLE EAST PEACE\/REGION<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \/…<\/p><\/div>\n TRANSCRIPT:<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n 12:44 p.m. EDT<\/p><\/div>\n \/…<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Thanks. Let’s start in the Middle East. The situation in and around Jerusalem is tense, to say the least, and getting intenser or more tense. I’m wondering if you have anything to say about that, as well as about the shooting of an American citizen last —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> I do, and I – you can all expect we’ll send out a written statement from the Secretary about the situation on the ground as well. That should be out later this afternoon.<\/p><\/div>\n But let me say we condemn yesterday’s shooting of a U.S. citizen in Jerusalem. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. We’re in touch with authorities as we seek more information.<\/p><\/div>\n We’re extremely concerned by escalating tensions across Jerusalem and particularly surrounding the Haram al-Sharif\/Temple Mount. It is absolutely critical that all sides exercise restraint, refrain from provocative actions and rhetoric, and preserve the status quo in – on the Haram al-Sharif\/Temple Mount in word and in practice. It must be reopened to Muslim worshippers. The continued commitment by Israelis, Palestinians, and Jordanians to preserve the historic status quo at this holy site is critical. Any decisions or actions to change it would be both provocative and dangerous.<\/p><\/div>\n And finally, we’ve been in close touch, as I’ve mentioned or alluded to, with senior Israeli, Jordanian, and Palestinian officials to try to de-escalate the situation. I expect the Secretary will be speaking with Prime Minister Netanyahu over the next 24 hours as well.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> But – so since this shooting happened last night, there hasn’t been any —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>No. They’ve been working to schedule a call.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> All right. And then you said – any change to which situation would be provocative and dangerous? I’m sorry.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Well, as you know, we support the longstanding practices regarding non-Muslim visitors to the site, to Haram al-Sharif\/Temple Mount. And consistent with our respect for the status quo, we would like to see it returned to that.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> You would like to see a return to what it was yesterday, before the shooting happened?<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Yes. Yes.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Okay. And you said it would be – it must be reopened to non-Muslim worshippers – or must be reopened to Muslim worshippers.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Right.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Should – what is —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>The status —<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> — the U.S. position on non-Muslim worshippers who might want to go to —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Well, it’s consistently been the case that we believe that Muslim worshippers should be able to worship, that there’s been a consistent —<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Right.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>— position of the United States.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Right. But you condemn the shooting of an American citizen who had advocated for non-Muslim worshippers to be able to go. But you don’t support that —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Our position has not changed. It doesn’t mean we don’t condemn, of course, the shooting —<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> No, I understand that.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>— and the death of an American citizen.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> I get that. But he advocated something that you don’t necessarily support. That’s – or he advocated —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Our position hasn’t changed on this issue. That’s true.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Okay. That’s it for me.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> (Inaudible) can I bring up what – so the Secretary has not spoken to Netanyahu since the slur, the U.S. slur – and I won’t repeat it.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION: <\/strong>Come on. Let’s have some fun.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Matt called it chicken salad yesterday, I think.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Chicken salad?<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Yes. We can say chicken scratch. How’s that? (Laughter.)<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> So there’s not been a discussion over the last few hours?<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>They’ve been working to schedule a call. We’ve reiterated that that is not the position of the United States. You’ve heard Secretary Kerry say that himself this morning. So —<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> One of the things that he also said this morning was that on the idea of getting the Israelis and the Palestinians back to the table and getting an agreement – he said we still think it’s doable. How on Earth can he think that it’s still doable, given the situation as it is today, and given the – whether or not chicken scratch is appropriate or whether or not it was said or whether or not – whatever, with the tensions that have built up between Washington and the prime minister?<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>How is it possible?<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Yeah.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Well, I think what the Secretary was referring to in response to a question was the fact that, of course, we’re always going to keep the door open to a peace process and one that would achieve a two-state solution. We feel that’s the only way to have final, lasting peace in the region.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Right. I mean, you can’t – your business is to not close off an option. But I just don’t understand how he can say that he thinks that it’s still doable in the current —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Well, he didn’t indicate it was starting tomorrow. Obviously —<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> He was kind of forward — I mean, he was kind of optimistic, in a climate where – I mean, the name-calling and the back and forth notwithstanding, there is some – I mean, wouldn’t you acknowledge there’s some serious tensions in the relationship right now, not only because of this thing that happened the other day, but over comments that the defense minister have made about Secretary Kerry —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Which were months and months ago.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Which were months and months ago, but did result in a little bit of snubbing last week, no matter – I mean, I think it’s been pretty acknowledged.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Well, Elise —<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Let me finish.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI: <\/strong>Go ahead.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> And then the settlement construction and all of that stuff – I mean, obviously the security relationship is going to remain sacrosanct, but you provide a lot of political support to Israel right now that I don’t think necessarily they should take for granted, maybe.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> Well, Elise, where we have deep concerns about highly contentious planning and construction, we make our views heard, as you’ve heard us talk about over the last couple of days. We’ve certainly also expressed publicly but also privately that taking steps like that are counterproductive to what their stated goal is, which is peace in the region.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Exactly, so how does the Secretary come out and say that restarting peace talks and getting back to the table right now is feasible when you have this – Israelis taking those type of actions, the Palestinians are looking to go to the United Nations – I mean, don’t you think it’s a little bit rosy assessment of where things are right now?<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> I don’t think that was his intention. He was making clear that – and reiterating what we’ve said many times and what he believes, which is that this is the only way to resolve this cycle of tensions that we’ve seen in the region. And that’s why he will keep the door open and remain available as long as he is in this position.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> So he was saying that it’s possible, as opposed to saying that it looks like they could do it at any – I mean, imminently.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> Well, he also said and has said many times that, of course, it’s up to the parties to make those choices, and certainly, we can’t do that for them, and that’s his belief as well.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Jen —<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Secretary Kerry – is this still on Israel?<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Yeah.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Okay.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> In your opening when you talked about – you said it must be reopened to Muslim worshippers, you’ve seen the Palestinian spokesman or – spokesman for the Palestinian president say that the closure of it was a declaration of war. What do you make of that?<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> We wouldn’t characterize it in that way or echo that.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Well, is that the kind of language that you’re looking for?<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> We didn’t characterize it that way, so I don’t think it’s —<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Well, okay, fair enough. The Israelis have been accusing President Abbas of inciting this kind of behavior. Do you believe that that is the case?<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> Well, we certainly have been encouraging the leaders of all parties to exercise not only decisive leadership, but to work cooperatively together and lower tensions, and obviously, lowering tensions means lowering rhetoric and also taking actions that reflect that.<\/p><\/div>\n Go ahead.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Jen, you said you’re extremely concerned with the situation in Jerusalem. In terms of the security operation that you’ve seen so far, are you concerned with that or are you so far satisfied; you just don’t want an escalation?<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> Do you mean by the Israeli authorities?<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Mm-hmm.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> I wasn’t speaking to that. I was speaking to the tensions that obviously we’re all aware are happening on the ground right now.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Right, but so far, you haven’t seen anything that you’ve found to be disturbing —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> I don't know if there’s – if you want to be more specific, what – might be more helpful.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> I’m going to move on, actually —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> Okay.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> — just to the slur. There seems to be a sense in Jerusalem that there are folks in the Administration that are holding back open, public, coordinated and – criticism of Netanyahu and his government until the midterms. I just wanted to give you an opportunity to respond to that because that’s something that’s come up frequently in this room.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> Well, I can assure anybody who thinks that that the President and the Secretary of State don’t feel – feel that those comments were inappropriate and counterproductive, and they’ll feel that way next Wednesday as well.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Sorry, they “do” feel it was —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> They do feel, yes —<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Yeah.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> — and they will feel that way next Wednesday as well.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> One point of language that was authorized that I saw from one of your colleagues at NSC was that the U.S. Government is deeply concerned about Israel’s future, and that was a criticism that I thought was – that I hadn’t seen before and that it was particularly broad and piercing. Has that been the case for some time? Why —<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> Do you have more context of what was said? I’m not sure what else was said around that specific comment.<\/p><\/div>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> It was from one of the spokespeople at the National Security Council, and they said – were saying that we’re deeply concerned about Israel’s future and we’re going to continue expressing our concerns, we’re not going to paper over our differences. But there’s a difference between, like, individual policy differences and being deeply concerned about Israel’s general future.<\/p><\/div>\n MS. PSAKI:<\/strong> Well, I mean, obviously, we’ve been speaking about tensions in the region. I would point you to them to ask more specifics on that question.<\/p><\/div>\n
\nSpokesperson
\nDaily Press Briefing<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n