Jen Psaki
Spokesperson
Daily Press Briefing
Washington, DC
May 20, 2014
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TRANSCRIPT:
1:49 p.m. EDT
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- Shooting Incident
- Attack of Israel Journalist
- Contacts over Bilateral Issues
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MS. PSAKI: I’m not aware of our level of involvement on that level. I can check and see if there has been any.
Middle East?
QUESTION: Yeah, Middle East. So yesterday I asked you about this shooting incident in which the Palestinian teens were killed, and your reply has caused a little bit of commotion. I wanted to give you the opportunity to clarify if you wanted to whether or not the phrase “their soil” or “its soil” referring to Israel was what you meant to say.
MS. PSAKI: Well, if I would have stated it – I would state it differently if I were to state it again today. As we know, the events took place in the West Bank. What I was meaning to convey, which I did several times, is that naturally Israeli – Israel has the lead in any investigation.
QUESTION: Okay. And have you been in touch – do you know if you have raised this, the shooting issue, with the Israelis? Have they gotten back to you in terms of an investigation? Because the foreign minister was not – as we talked – discussed yesterday, the Israeli foreign minister was not exactly appreciative of the call for an investigation.
MS. PSAKI: We have been in touch. Our understanding is that is the plan. But I don’t have any additional details on it.
QUESTION: Okay. And on the – I asked also the other day, I think two days ago, about an attack on an Israeli journalist by Palestinians. Did you —
MS. PSAKI: You did. I actually do not have any new information on that, but let me venture to follow up on that.
QUESTION: Okay. And then just more broadly in terms of the whole peace process or peace non-process I guess now, is there any movement since the Quartet movement at all? Has there been any contact between senior U.S. officials on – and officials on either side?
MS. PSAKI: There is regular contact about a range of bilateral issues, but I don’t have any updates on contacts specifically about the peace process.
QUESTION: Bilateral. Okay. So you’re not aware of anything happening on the peace process?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we have a range of contacts and conversations with both the Israelis and Palestinians, so I can’t rule out that it’s ever been discussed, but there’s nothing new to report.
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Document Type: Briefing, Press briefing, Transcript
Country: Israel, United States of America
Subject: Armed conflict, Casualties, Incidents
Publication Date: 22/05/2014