Israel's counterterrorist operations against Hamas have complicated President-elect Barack Obama's peace plans for the Mideast, one of his advisors said. David Axelrod told Face the Nation on CBS Sunday, "He wants to be a constructive force in helping to bring about the peace and security that both the Israelis and the Palestinians want and deserve. Obviously, this situation has become even more complicated in the last couple of days and weeks. As Hamas began its shelling, Israel responded. But it's something that he's committed to."
Axelrod added that Obama considers Israel a close ally but that also wants to work closely with the Palestinian Authority.