Special to WorldTribune.com

One day after suggesting Israel used “excessive force” against Palestinians in the recent wave of violence, the Obama administration said it never made the accusation and insisted Israel has the right to defend itself.

“We have never accused Israeli security forces of excessive force with respect to these terrorist attacks,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said on Oct. 15.

On Oct. 14, Kirby had said said the Obama administration has seen “reports of what many would consider excessive use of force” by Israel.

When a reporter asked Kirby whether it was the administration’s view that the status quo at the Temple Mount had been broken, he replied: “Well, certainly, the status quo has not been observed, which has led to a lot of the violence.”

Observers say that Kirby’s initial statement gave the appearance that the U.S. adopted the Palestinian stance that Israel had violated the status quo of the Temple Mount, implying that Israel was also responsible for the recent wave of violence. Much of the violence has occurred in and around the holy site.

On Oct. 15, when pressed by reporters, Kirby said, “Yesterday we had this discussion, and I didn’t get into detail then, I’m not going to get into detail now.”

Kirby added that the Obama White House does not believe Israel should change its policy on the Temple Mount and that it has maintained the status quo. The Palestinian Authority questions Israel’s intentions at the holy site, where non-Muslims are not allowed to formally pray.

Also on Oct. 15, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he condemned the recent wave of violence and reiterated the U.S. stance on Israel’s right to self defense

“We strongly condemn the terrorist attacks against innocent civilians and there is absolutely no justification for these reprehensible attacks. We will continue to support Israel’s right to defend its existence,” Kerry said.

In the last 15 days, 8 Israelis, and more than 30 Palestinians have been killed and another 80 have been wounded.

“It is critically important though that calm be restored as soon as possible, and we the administration will continue to stress the importance, politically and privately, of preventing inflammatory rhetoric, accusations or actions that could lead to violence,” Kerry said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was critical of comments Kerry made earlier in the week when the secretary of state hinted that Palestinian frustration over a “massive increase in settlements” preceded the violence.

“This is not a result of a massive wave of settlements,” Netanyahu said, “because there’s not been a massive wave of settlements.”

Kirby told the Jerusalem Post on Oct. 15 that Kerry “never said that settlements were to blame for the current violence,” and that “there is no excuse for terrorism.”

  Benjamin Netanyahu, John Kerry, John Kirby, Obama administration walks back ‘excessive force’ accusation against Israel, Temple Mount, WorldTribune.com