MR, Dec. 23, 2008:

The presidential transition actually makes it more likely that Israeli military action will prompt a negative US response. Iran would inevitably "warn Israel" against attacking Hamas, complete with vague insinuations about "radiation" and "incitement." That's what they did during Lebanon II and that's what they do every time Israel is about to take on one of their proxies. The impression would be that Israel is knocking out Obama's diplomatic knees before he even takes office... Which is exactly why American diplomats have gone out of their way to pressure Israel not to undertake any pre-Obama action against Hamas.

WaPo, Dec. 28, 2008:

Israel's airstrikes on Gaza yesterday, in retaliation for a nonstop barrage of rocket attacks from Hamas fighters, raised the prospect of an escalation of violence that could scuttle any hopes the incoming Obama administration harbored of forging an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal... There is little doubt, however, that if the situation escalates, it could hand yet another crisis to Obama, who will already be inheriting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and an unstable situation in Pakistan. If the past is any guidance, the United States will probably come under great pressure to restrain Israel if the tit-for-tat violence grows.

The irony is that my original post was in response to a different WaPo editorial with the opposite implication of this news story. See what I mean? They just say stuff. Now just imagine the hell that would be getting raised if Israel was defending itself against Iran. Actually you don't have to imagine: Brzezinski has been very clear that Israel would get blamed for destroying Obama's vaunted engagement platform.

References:
* Obligatory Post About WaPo's "Israel Should Lift Its Gaza Blockade" Editorial [MR]
* Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza Strip Imperil Obama's Peace Chances [WaPo]
* Smug Liberal Sophistication Undisturbed By Decades Of Disastrously Wrong Domestic And International Predictions [MR]
* Brzezinski: Israeli Campaign Against Iran Will Detonate US-Israel Relations [MR]

Previously:
* Former Peace Process Diplomats To Obama: Renewed Peace Process Guaranteed To Fail
* Obama's Top NSA And CIA Picks: Harsh On Israel, Sympathetic To Iran And Hezbollah
* Indyk: Of Course Obama Is Going To Pressure Israel