Washington, DC:
The White House said on Tuesday that it supports a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an investigation into Israel's raid on ships taking humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip, but stopped short of condemning the actions of Israeli forces.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the pre-dawn raid on international waters, which left at least nine people dead, does nothing to change the "trusted relationship" between the US and Israel.
Palestinians, Arabs and Turkey have all called for stronger condemnation from Washington.
So far, US President Barack Obama has voiced "deep regret" for the lives lost, and a White House statement said he "expressed the importance of learning all the facts and circumstances" surrounding the incident.
Gibbs said the US backs the Security Council's call for "a credible investigation, including international participation."
The raid provoked ferocious international condemnation of Israel, raised questions at home, and appeared likely to increase pressure to end a blockade that has deepened the poverty of the 1.5 (m) million Palestinians living in Gaza.
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday called the situation in Gaza "unsustainable and unacceptable".
However she added that the US would continue to work closely with the Israeli and Palestinian sides to ease the situation in the Middle East.
"Israel's legitimate security needs must be met just as the Palestinians' legitimate needs for sustained humanitarian assistance and regular access for reconstruction materials must also be assured," she said in a joint news briefing with her Romanian counterpart Teodor Baconschi.
Clinton also met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at a closed meeting.
Davutoglu told reporters ahead of the meeting that Turkey was disappointed with the Obama administration's response to the raid.
In a sign of the sensitivity of the raid on US-Turkish relations, the State Department closed coverage of the meeting to the press.
It had previously scheduled a photo opportunity, a venue in which reporters probably would have tried to ask questions.
Davutoglu said that there was no need to wait for an investigation of the killings, because in Turkey's view the raid was illegal under international law because it happened in international waters.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry said four Turkish citizens were confirmed slain by the Israeli commandos and another five were also believed to be Turks, although Israeli authorities were still trying to confirm their nationalities.
Davutoglu contrasted his criticism of the United States with praise of the statements by the European Union.
Though Turkish-Israeli relations have been rocky for some time, Davutoglu said Turkey had been looking for ways to help facilitate peace talks.
He said that he had scheduled a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Monday to discuss indirect talks with Syria before Netanyahu cancelled his trip Sunday.
Davutoglu said that he discussed the raid with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday, and Barak had offered condolences.
Meanwhile, a diverse group of protesters gathered outside of the White House to protest against Israel.
The protesters included Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss, from Jews United Against Zionism, and Mahdi Bray from the Muslim American Society.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the pre-dawn raid on international waters, which left at least nine people dead, does nothing to change the "trusted relationship" between the US and Israel.
Palestinians, Arabs and Turkey have all called for stronger condemnation from Washington.
So far, US President Barack Obama has voiced "deep regret" for the lives lost, and a White House statement said he "expressed the importance of learning all the facts and circumstances" surrounding the incident.
Gibbs said the US backs the Security Council's call for "a credible investigation, including international participation."
The raid provoked ferocious international condemnation of Israel, raised questions at home, and appeared likely to increase pressure to end a blockade that has deepened the poverty of the 1.5 (m) million Palestinians living in Gaza.
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday called the situation in Gaza "unsustainable and unacceptable".
However she added that the US would continue to work closely with the Israeli and Palestinian sides to ease the situation in the Middle East.
"Israel's legitimate security needs must be met just as the Palestinians' legitimate needs for sustained humanitarian assistance and regular access for reconstruction materials must also be assured," she said in a joint news briefing with her Romanian counterpart Teodor Baconschi.
Clinton also met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at a closed meeting.
Davutoglu told reporters ahead of the meeting that Turkey was disappointed with the Obama administration's response to the raid.
In a sign of the sensitivity of the raid on US-Turkish relations, the State Department closed coverage of the meeting to the press.
It had previously scheduled a photo opportunity, a venue in which reporters probably would have tried to ask questions.
Davutoglu said that there was no need to wait for an investigation of the killings, because in Turkey's view the raid was illegal under international law because it happened in international waters.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry said four Turkish citizens were confirmed slain by the Israeli commandos and another five were also believed to be Turks, although Israeli authorities were still trying to confirm their nationalities.
Davutoglu contrasted his criticism of the United States with praise of the statements by the European Union.
Though Turkish-Israeli relations have been rocky for some time, Davutoglu said Turkey had been looking for ways to help facilitate peace talks.
He said that he had scheduled a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Monday to discuss indirect talks with Syria before Netanyahu cancelled his trip Sunday.
Davutoglu said that he discussed the raid with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday, and Barak had offered condolences.
Meanwhile, a diverse group of protesters gathered outside of the White House to protest against Israel.
The protesters included Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss, from Jews United Against Zionism, and Mahdi Bray from the Muslim American Society.
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