Get PolitiFact in your inbox.
The world is buzzing with the leak of an alleged transcript between U.S. President Barack Obama and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
But we warn you: Proceed with caution.
Israel’s Channel 1 reported receiving a leaked transcript of the call and published excerpts on Tuesday. In the transcript, Obama forcefully demands that Netanyahu end military activities in Gaza. The Times of Israel Times provided an English translation of Channel 1’s reporting:
Barack Obama: "I demand that Israel agrees to an immediate, unilateral ceasefire and halt all offensive activities, in particular airstrikes."
Benjamin Netanyahu: "And what will Israel receive in exchange for a ceasefire?"
BO: "I believe that Hamas will cease its rocket fire — silence will be met with silence."
BN: "Hamas broke all five previous ceasefires. It’s a terrorist organization dedicated to the destruction of Israel."
BO: "I repeat and expect Israel to stop all its military activities unilaterally. The pictures of destruction in Gaza distance the world from Israel’s position."
BN: "Kerry’s proposal was completely unrealistic and gives Hamas military and diplomatic advantages."
BO: "Within a week of the end of Israel’s military activities, Qatar and Turkey will begin negotiations with Hamas based on the 2012 understandings, including Israel’s commitment to removing the siege and restrictions on Gaza."
BN: "Qatar and Turkey are the biggest supporters of Hamas. It’s impossible to rely on them to be fair mediators."
BO: "I trust Qatar and Turkey. Israel is not in the position that it can choose its mediators."
BN: "I protest because Hamas can continue to launch rockets and use tunnels for terror attacks –"
BO: (interrupting Netanyahu) "The ball’s in Israel’s court, and it must end all its military activities."
But since the transcript has leaked, it has been simultaneously repudiated as bogus by the governments in Washington and Jerusalem.
In Jerusalem:
We have seen reports of an alleged POTUS-Netanyahu transcript; neither reports nor alleged transcript bear any resemblance to reality 1/2
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 29, 2014
Shocking and disappointing someone would sink to misrepresenting a pvt convo between POTUS and PM in fabrications to Israeli press 2/2
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 29, 2014
And in Washington:
We have seen reports of an alleged POTUS-Netanyahu transcript; neither reports nor alleged transcript bear any resemblance to reality 1/2
— @NSCPress (@NSCPress) July 29, 2014
Shocking and disappointing someone would sink to misrepresenting a pvt convo between POTUS and PM in fabrications to Israeli press 2/2
— @NSCPress (@NSCPress) July 29, 2014
The Times of Israel says Channel 1 is so far standing by its report, saying the transcript was leaked by a "senior American official."
We’ll update this story as more information comes in.
Our Sources
Sources are reflected in the story.