US President Barack Obama and his Secretary of State John Kerry share a peculiar habit of speaking out of both sides of their mouth.

Since the beginning of Operation Protective Edge in Gaza, both of these men have been proclaiming Israel’s “right to self-defense”, while at the same time calling for an “immediate ceasefire”.

Guess what? It is a contradiction in terms. Israel is finally fighting back after five consecutive years of virtually no retaliation to Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and yes, Fatah aggression against Israel.

For five long years, Israel’s political leadership has been pressured by the sanctimonious, pompous president in DC to restrain itself, to only occasionally hit back, and even then, with at least one arm tied behind its back.

Mr. Kerry, who was unintentionally caught on camera yesterday sarcastically complaining about Israel harming civilians in Gaza, is on his way to the Middle East on a mission. And what is the goal of his mission?

Kerry wants to achieve an immediate ceasefire that would put an immediate halt to Israel’s painstaking efforts to destroy the weapons/terrorist smuggling tunnels, the bomb factories, the missile-launching pads, and the weapons warehouses.

With “friends” like these defending our right to self-defense, we would do well to remember former First Lady Nancy Reagan’s slogan, albeit in her war on illicit drug use by American youth:

“Just Say No” would be a very appropriate slogan for Israel’s leaders to adopt as they await Kerry’s arrival. Any other response would be an insult to our soldiers, who are valiantly fighting in Gaza for the safety of all of Israel.

Yes, give him the respect that a world leader deserves.

Explain clearly why we need to continue and broaden the operation.

Explain why most Israelis are standing together in support of the war effort .

Then ignore what will most likely be his unjust demands for an immediate ceasefire, which if implemented, would bring back the rocket attacks in full force within two years, and possibly much sooner.

Just Say No.