International Reactions to Operation Protective Edge

UNITED STATES

› President Barack Obama:
           "I have said from the beginning that no country would tolerate rockets being launched into their cities. And as a consequence, I have consistently supported Israel’s right to defend itself, and that includes doing what it needs to do to prevent rockets from landing on population centers and, more recently, as we learned, preventing tunnels from being dug under their territory that can be used to launch terrorist attacks. I also think it is important to remember that Hamas acts extraordinarily irresponsibly when it is deliberately siting rocket launchers in population centers, putting populations at risk because of that particular military strategy." [Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

› President Barack Obama:
           "Israel has a right to defend itself from rocket attacks that terrorize the Israeli people. There is no country on Earth that can be expected to live under a daily barrage of rockets. And I’m proud that the Iron Dome system that Americans helped Israel develop and fund has saved many Israeli lives....Unfortunately, Hamas continued to fire rockets at civilians, thereby prolonging the conflict." [Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

› President Barack Obama:
           "I will say very clearly, no country can accept rocket fired indiscriminately at citizens. And so, we’ve been very clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against what I consider to be inexcusable attacks from Hamas." [Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

› White House Spokesman Josh Earnest:
           "We strongly condemn the continuing rocket fire into Israel and the deliberate targeting of civilians by terrorist organizations in Gaza....No country can accept rocket fire aimed at civilians and we support Israel's right to defend itself against these vicious attacks." [Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

› Secretary of State John Kerry:
           "I cannot condemn strongly enough the actions of Hamas in so brazenly firing rockets, in multiple numbers, in the face of a goodwill effort [to secure) a cease-fire. It is important for Hamas not to be provoking and purposefully trying to play politics in order to gain greater followers for it opposition, and use the innocent lives of civilians who may hide in buildings and use as shields and put in danger. That is against the laws of war. Israel has the right to defend itself" [Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

› Secretary of State John Kerry:
           "Israel is under siege by a terrorist organization...No country could sit by and not take steps to try to deal with people who are sending thousands of rockets your way, literally in the middle of a conversation both with the president and with me. While we were talking to the prime minister, sirens went off, the prime minister of Israel had to interrupt a conversation with the president of the United States, to go to a shelter. People can't live that way. And Hamas needs to understand." [Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

› Congressman Peter Roskam (R-IL):

          "Over the past month, the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip has ramped up its vicious rocket barrage on the people of Israel. This reckless escalation of violence has forced millions of Israelis to take cover in bomb shelters out of fear for their lives. During these dangerous times, I firmly support Israel’s fundamental right to defend itself against these belligerent assaults on its civilians. We must continue to hold Hamas accountable for its actions and work with our ally Israel to restore peace and stability in the region.” [Statement - CLICK HERE]

› House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH):

          "We will not equate professional militaries with terrorist organizations that use human shields as they seek maximum civilian casualties...America must send this clear, public and united message: Israel is our friend, and Israel's enemies are our enemies.” [Statement - CLICK HERE]

UNITED KINGDOM

› Spokeswoman:
"The Prime Minister strongly condemned the appalling attacks being carried out by Hamas against Israeli civilians. The Prime Minister reiterated the UK's staunch support for Israel in the face of such attacks, and underlined Israel's right to defend itself from them." [Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

CANADA

› Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird:
"Canada condemns the brazen and indiscriminate attacks that Hamas continues to wage on Israel. Rocket attacks today aimed at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem prove that Hamas continues to target innocent civilians. Canada believes that Israel has every right to defend itself, by itself, from such belligerent acts of terrorism....The new Palestinian government must exercise its authority in Gaza and bring an immediate end to Hamas’s rocket attacks on Israel, and Hamas must respect the ceasefire agreed upon in 2012." [Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

› Prime Minister Stephen Harper:
"Obviously, no one likes to see the suffering and loss of life that has occurred. That said, we hold the terrorist organization Hamas responsible for this. They have initiated and continue this conflict, and continue to seek the destruction of the state of Israel." [Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

EUROPEAN UNION

› The European Union:
          "The EU strongly condemns the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas and militant groups in the Gaza Strip, directly harming civilians. These are criminal and unjustifiable acts. The EU calls on Hamas to immediately put an end to these acts and to renounce violence. All terrorist groups in Gaza must disarm. The EU strongly condemns calls on the civilian population of Gaza to provide themselves as human shields." [Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

› European Union Ambassador to Israel Lars Faaborg-Andersen:
          "[The EU would like to]express its unreserved solidarity with citizens of Israel....indiscriminate shooting of rockets against civilians can never be a legitimate response, no matter what your grievances."

› French President Francois Hollande:
           "[Israel has] the solidarity of France in the face of rocket fire coming from Gaza...France firmly condemns these aggressions...It is up to the Israeli government to take all measures to protect its population in the face of these threats (of rockets)."
[Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

› German Chancellor Angela Merkel:
"German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday condemned rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza in a telephone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."
[Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

› Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore:
"I condemn unreservedly the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel which pose such a grave threat to the population."
[Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]

AUSTRALIA

› Minister of Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop:
"The actions of militants in Gaza, who are firing rockets indiscriminately into Israel, are inexcusable and must be condemned."
[Read Full Statement - CLICK HERE]