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Last update - 04:20 21/05/2009
Clinton calls on Israel to halt 'any kind' of settlement activity
By Natasha Mozgovaya
Tags: Obama, West Bank, Clinton 

WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took a hard line against settlement construction in the territories Wednesday, including a call to freeze building for natural growth. Her statement came in contrast to the general terms U.S. President Barack Obama expressed about the issue to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the week.

"We want to see a stop to settlement construction - additions, natural growth, any kind of settlement activity - that is what the president has called for," Clinton said in an interview with Al-Jazeera.

President Shimon Peres discussed the use of construction to accommodate natural growth in the settlements when he was in Washington at the beginning of May. "These children are not going to live on the roofs," he said.
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The Israeli Embassy here said Israel would stand by its pledge not to establish new settlements but as Israel sees it, this clearly does not include construction of housing to accommodate natural increases.

Clinton also discussed the two-state solution, which Netanyahu had not mentioned in his meeting with Obama. "We also are going to be pushing for a two-state solution, which by its very name implies borders that have to be agreed to and we expect to see two states living side-by-side," Clinton said. Clinton said the Palestinian state was envisioned as a sovereign state, with the responsibilities that come with statehood.

"We are starting this intensive engagement right now. We have consulted broadly already. George Mitchell and I have spoken with many Arab leaders and of course with the Palestinians and the Israelis and we are determined to forge ahead," Clinton told Al-Jazeera.

Clinton said she had stressed the U.S. position to Netanyahu over dinner. The hard work was just beginning, she said, and the U.S. administration was determined to move ahead with what it saw as in the essential interest of the Israelis, the Palestinians, the region and the rest of the world.

Clinton said the the Palestinians' recognizing Israel's right to exist, renouncing violence and respecting prior agreements are an "incredibly reasonable request."

Despite reports that Obama was to unveil a peace plan in his Cairo speech on June 4, the White House said there is still no final plan on the table and ideas would continue to coalesce during the month in meetings Obama expects to hold with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.



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      1.   ...and just yesterday Clinton was the `good cop` 05:42  |  Colin Wright 21/05/09
      2.   HALT TO "ANY KIND" OF SETTLEMENT 05:44  |  Ed 21/05/09
      3.   "as Israel sees it", hey? 05:58  |  Johnboy 21/05/09
      4.   NO to external intrusion 06:03  |  Brod 21/05/09
      5.   Illegal settlements 06:55  |  Laura 21/05/09
      6.   Bush intervened with "democracy", Obama with "peace". 07:00  |  Fortuna Benmayor 21/05/09
      7.   External intrusion? 07:00  |  Laura 21/05/09
      8.   #1 Colin Wright, you mean they are all in the same Konspiratsja? 07:03  |  Mark B. 21/05/09
      9.   For Ed # 2 OBAMA`S LOFTY ALTAR 07:08  |  Fortuna Benmayor 21/05/09
      10.   The new pioneers. 07:18  |  Mario Sala 21/05/09
      11.   Our land- we build 07:21  |  JD 21/05/09
      12.   Nonsense Construction is Israel`s right 07:30  |  Baruch Gold 21/05/09
      13.   To my Secretary of State. 07:55  |  Lou Medel 21/05/09
      14.   Always a question of interpretation 08:10  |  Kris Lazar 21/05/09
      15.   # 4 The "dish" called revenge is best served cold. 08:15  |  Kris Lazar 21/05/09
      16.   #4 Brod, that`s two strikes...... 08:52  |  Johnboy 21/05/09
      17.   Brod, we told you years ago when there was a chance... 09:04  |  BBSNews 21/05/09
      18.   Brod you seem to be eternally intruding in their affairs 09:18  |  Labhras 21/05/09
      19.   Peres: "These children are not going to live on the roofs" 09:21  |  Daoud 21/05/09
      20.   Hillary Clinton 10:21  |  Johnny Weintraub 21/05/09
      21.   Worried about jewish children move them to Israel proper. 10:25  |  American 21/05/09
      22.   CLINTON CALLS FOR EXACTLY WHAT OBAMA TELLS HER TO CALL FOR IT`S 10:34  |  glenna 21/05/09
      23.   #10 labarse of arabia and the irish abuse problems 10:40  |  vhardman 21/05/09
      24.   About as much as you have searched out the Word of God;the only 10:43  |  glenna 21/05/09
      25.   THere is no Legal Settlement 11:02  |  Louis 21/05/09
      26.   #12 Odd that, hey, Johnny? 11:04  |  Johnboy 21/05/09
      27.   NO More Presidential Pardons for the Occupation 11:05  |  Louis 21/05/09
      28.   Obama is doing Israelis a favour 12:05  |  Rod 21/05/09
      29.   Her Personal 767 12:08  |  Femi Ogburey 21/05/09
      30.   Israel should continue to build settlements if it wishes to...... 12:24  |  EL 21/05/09
      31.   American #14 should move to an Indian reservation? 12:31  |  JPS 21/05/09
      32.   #1, I do not think so, not if Obama wants support in The Congress 12:39  |  EL 21/05/09
      33.   THIS IS NO JOKE 13:18  |  ABDUL 21/05/09
      34.   Clinton Plan is the Future. 13:27  |  Razi 21/05/09
      35.   A geographic split will never work 18:06  |  Jasper 21/05/09
      36.   Best friends of Israel are no friends of the Settler Enterprise 18:28  |  Ivar 21/05/09
      37.   Daoud: that`s because he`s a hypocrite. 02:23  |  AT 22/05/09
      38.   Occupied Land 13:36  |  Brendan Holleran 22/05/09
      39.   Not any kind of activity please 14:21  |  John 22/05/09
      40.   saying "no" to "intrusion" 00:12  |  BP 23/05/09
      41.   It is Israel`s Land 13:33  |  Brod 23/05/09
      42.   Ben Gourion was against post 1967 occupation 00:23  |  Eric 24/05/09
      43.   Obama & Clinton are enemies of Israel 06:20  |  Laby Dinowitzer 24/05/09
      44.   Clinton remarks 19:46  |  Ray of Light 24/05/09
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