It was only a matter of time.
Following yesterday's scandalous release of the Obama-Natanyahu phone call transcript [6]by Israel's Channel 1, which officials on both sides have claimed was a fake (due to its clearly negative implications for US foreign policy which appears painfully weak) yet which the media outlet has defended as authentic, citing a "senior American official" as a source, one was wondering how long it would take for the White House to "teach" Israel a lesson, and put it in its place. The answer: less than 24 hours. Moments ago, the White House officially "condemned" the shelling of a United Nations school in Gaza that local authorities estimated killed at least 15 Palestinians who were sheltering there.
Still, to appear measured, the US also condemned Hamas, although indirectly: "We are extremely concerned that thousands of internally displaced Palestinians who have been called on by the Israeli military to evacuate their homes are not safe in U.N. designated shelters in Gaza," White House National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said, cited by Reuters. "We also condemn those responsible for hiding weapons in United Nations facilities in Gaza."
As AP adds, this is "the sharpest criticism the U.S. has leveled at Israel over the more than three weeks of fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza." In fact, it may be the first time in recent history when the US has condemned anything to do with Israel.
Exciting, yes?
No, not really, because as everything else coming out of the White House in the past 6 years, this too was merely for popular theater purposes.
How do we know? Because this hit moments later.
JUST IN: US is re-supplying Israel Defense Forces with several categories of ammunition. Via @vplus [7]
— PzFeed Top News (@PzFeed) July 30, 2014 [8]
MORE: U.S. is resupplying Israel with certain ammunition. Would come from weapons stockpile U.S. keeps inside Israel. CNN
— PzFeed Top News (@PzFeed) July 30, 2014 [9]