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June 3, 2010

Biden Defends Israeli Assault, Gaza Blockade
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The Obama administration meanwhile continues to back the Israeli assault
on the flotilla while rejecting calls for an end to the Gaza blockade.
In an interview with Charlie Rose, Vice President Joe Biden said Israel
should decide whether its siege of Gaza should continue. Biden also
criticized the aid flotilla for trying to break Israel’s naval blockade
of Gaza.

Joseph Biden: "You can argue whether Israel should have dropped people
onto that ship or not, but the truth of the matter is, Israel has a
right to know—they’re at war with Hamas—has a right to know
whether or not arms are being smuggled in. And up to now, Charlie,
what’s happened? They’ve said, 'Here you go. You're in the
Mediterranean. This ship, if you divert slightly north, you can unload
it, and we’ll get the stuff into Gaza.’ So what’s the big deal here?
What’s the big deal of insisting it go straight to Gaza? Well, it’s
legitimate for Israel to say, 'I don't know what’s on that ship. These
guys are dropping eight—3,000 rockets on my people.’"



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