The White House and secretary of state John Kerry dismiss harsh reports from Israeli media and deny rift between the allies

The White House on Monday moved quickly to defend the secretary of state, John Kerry, after his failed attempt to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas elicited a flood of stinging criticism from Jerusalem and threatened a rare diplomatic rift between the US and Israel.



Kerry returned to the US after a week of intensive diplomacy in the region, in which he attempted in vain to secure a pause in a conflict that has so far claimed more than 1,000 Palestinian lives, many of them civilians.

US officials were reportedly “fuming” over sharp criticism which appeared in the Israeli press, attributed to anonymous sources, in which Kerry’s approach to securing a seven-day ceasefire was dismissed as biased toward the Palestinian side. The US is particularly aggrieved at the personal nature of the criticism leveled against Kerry.

Tony Blinken, a senior White House national security advisor, was one of several administration officials leapt to Kerry’s defense.

“Israel has no better friend, no stronger defender,” he said. “No one has done more to help Israel achieve a secure and lasting peace. He has been tireless in his efforts.”

The dispute revolves around a document Kerry presented to Israel on Friday to move negotiations over a ceasefire. The document was quickly leaked to the Israeli press, where it was described as a proposal that was roundly rejected by Israel’s cabinet.

However, US officials insist the document was an informal draft of ideas, based in large part on the Egyptian ceasefire proposal that was initially welcomed by Israel. Blinken said the leaks to the Israeli press were “either misinformed or intended to misinform”.

“In particular with regard to criticism that was levied from undisclosed sources about a proposal for a ceasefire,” he said. The so-called proposal, which Blinken said was actually a “draft intended to elicit comments from the Israelis” was based on the Egyptian initiative – adding that “virtually every element” that was complained about was agreed to by Israel two weeks ago.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A pro-Israel rally was held in New York on Monday. Photograph: John Moore/Getty Images

A drained-looking Kerry avoiding addressing the controversy head-on during brief remarks at the State Department on Monday. However, in a message intended to reassure Israel, which was concerned that his draft document did not seek demilitarisation in the Gaza strip, he said: "Any process to resolve the crisis in Gaza in a lasting and meaningful way must lead to the disarmament of Hamas and all terrorist groups.”

The Israeli side is also understood to have been annoyed by the efforts Kerry made with Qatari and Turkish interlocutors, who have a relatively strong relationship with Hamas, which in contrast the US does not directly deal with, and which has a poor relationship with Egypt.

Washington has now abandoned its push for a week-long cessation in the violence, which it had been seeking as a precursor to a full ceasefire. Instead, US diplomatic efforts are now focused on persuading Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate but short pause in violence, similar to the stunted breaks in violence of recent days, to allow food and aid into the the Gaza strip.

Criticism levelled at Kerry in Israel alarmed US officials both because of its harsh tone and the fact it originated from across the political spectrum. The Times of Israel quoted an Israeli official as describing Kerry’s draft document as “a scandal”. “It’s offensive that he would send it,” the official reportedly said, adding that Washington should accept Kerry may have “screwed up” and should “take criticism with a sporting attitude”.

Meanwhile, Ari Shavit, a correspondent for the left-leaning newspaper Haaretz, reported on Monday: “Very senior officials in Jerusalem described the proposal that Kerry put on the table as a 'strategic terrorist attack'.”

The Associated Press said that US officials were “fuming … over a torrent of Israeli criticism” directed at Kerry, believing they had crossed the line and risked jeopardising Washington’s close relationship with Israel. The report did not quote or name the officials, which the AP said had spoken on the condition of anonymity.

Jen Psaki, the state department spokeswoman, said the US was “surprised and obviously disappointed” to see the draft proposal made public. She also argued that there was a difference between the characterisation of Kerry's handling of the negotiations by Israeli media and what government officials were telling the US privately.

Conveying what he said was a direct message from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's ambassador to Washington, Ron Dermer, told an pro-Israel meeting in the capital: “The criticism of secretary Kerry for his good faith efforts to advance a sustainable ceasefire is unwarranted." He insisted there was “broad understanding” between Israel and the US about the principles for a ceasefire.

Josh Earnest, the White House spokesman, said Kerry remained “deeply engaged” in efforts to broker a ceasefire and would return to the region if required. “We were disappointed to read them,” he said of the leaks. “But I don’t anticipate they are going to have any impact on the very strong relationship that exists between the United States and our allies in Israel.”

