Clinton stands firm on Israeli settlements

[Old Coot]

Source: Christian Science Monitor

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stated Sunday that the Obama administration would not be bound by informal agreements made during the Bush era that gave Israelis more latitude on Jewish settlements in the West Bank. "Well, that was an understanding that was entered into, so far as we are told, orally," she said on ABC's "This Week." "That was never made a part of the official record of the negotiations as it was passed on to our administration."The issue of Israeli settlements has been given fresh momentum recently by Mr. Obama's speech in Cairo, as well as comments by Secretary Clinton that Obama "wants to see a stop to settlements: not some settlements, not outposts, not natural-growth exceptions."Israeli officials have countered that the Bush administration had unofficial agreements with Israel to allow for certain types of growth. In rejecting any such agreements, Clinton reiterated the administration's stance that settlements in the West Bank must be prevented from growing further.

"The fact is that the road map, which was agreed to officially, adopted by the Israeli government, said something very clear about settlements," she said, referring to the 2003 road map for peace, which freezes all settlement activity."So I think that what the president is doing is saying, 'Look, everybody should comply with the obligations you've already committed to,'" she added.

This would be a departure from past US policy, which traditionally gave Israel a fair amount of leeway regarding West Bank settlements, according to a column in Foreign Policy. President Obama's current set of advisers sees the settlements issue as perhaps the most significant stumbling block to any future peace deal, the article adds.

So far, Israel is refusing to back down.

Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0607/p02s01-usfp.html

[and-justice-for-all]

1. Good, because those settlements are bloody illegal...

a two state solution is the only solution.

[annabanana]

2. Good... No more "under the table" agreements that keep anything

serious from being accomplished, ever.

[madrchsod]

3. well that is refreshing....

now israel will have to decide what is in their self interest.

[UndertheOcean]

4. Good !

[MasonJar]

5. Hillary was calling for a Palestinian state in early President Clinton days,

and of course the GOPers villified her for it, but then they villified everything Bill and Hillary did or said.

[Xipe Totec]

6. We will not be bound by Dubya's fellatio arrangements with the Israelis

er..., I meant oral arrangements of course...

[Douglas Carpenter]

7. GREAT NEWS!! kick and recommended!!

[Douglas Carpenter]

8. GREAT NEWS!! kick and recommended!!

[DLnyc]

9. Israel will come to the table when they have to.

No Israeli Prime Minister can stop the settlements until they are able to say to their constituents: "We have no choice, the Americans insist that we stop."

I think the only path to peace is precisely this insistence. Once it is clear there is no choice, Israeli politicians will have the cover to do what has to be done: stop the settlements and move toward a two-state solution -- which is what majorities in both Israel and Palestine want.

[western mass]

10. Oh no! The Isrealis are going to find another...

strongly worded yellow sticky note attached to the next $ billion aid package!