Clinton: Israel's settlement offer falls short of U.S. wishes
Clinton: Offer to restrain settlement growth is positive; Arab League chief: 'Failure' is in the air.
By News Agencies Tags: Israel settlements Hillary Clinton Middle East peace Israel newsIsrael's offer to restrain settlement expansion is an unprecedented and positive step but still falls short of Washington's wishes, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday.
"The Israelis have responded to the call of the U.S., the Palestinians and the Arab world to stop settlement activity by expressing a willingness to restrain settlement activity," she told reporters in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh.
"This offer falls far short of what our preference would be but if it is acted upon it will be an unprecedented restriction on settlements and would have a significant and meaningful effect on restraining their growth."
Arab states are deeply disappointed that U.S.-Israeli talks last week failed to produce greater pressure for a freeze on West Bank settlement-building, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said on Monday.
"I am telling you that all of us, including Saudi Arabia, including Egypt, are deeply disappointed ... with the results, with the fact that Israel can get away with anything without any firm stand that this cannot be done," Moussa told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Morocco.
Following a question on whether U.S. President Barack Obama's drive to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process had failed, he said, "I am really afraid that we are about to see a failure but I still wait until we have our meetings and decide what we are going to do. But failure is in the atmosphere all over."
Moussa's comments came two days after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton raised Arab ire by praising Israel's offer to limit - but not stop - Jewish settlement construction.
On Monday, Clinton prepared to consult with Arab foreign ministers on the Obama administration's peacemaking efforts.
Clinton was to meet first with Moroccan Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri before flying to the southern-central city of Ouarzazate for an audience with King Mohammed VI. Later she was returning to Marrakech for talks with foreign ministers of several Persian Gulf nations.
Clinton also was expected to meet separately with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, who has rejected U.S. appeals for improved Arab relations with Israel as a way to help restart Middle East peace talks, saying Israel is not interested in a deal.
Meanwhile, Obama's envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for further talks on Monday.
After taking office in January, Obama buoyed Palestinian hopes for progress toward establishing a Palestinian state with his outreach to the Muslim world and an initially tough stance urging a full freeze to all settlement construction.
But after making little headway with the Israelis in recent months, Clinton urged Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in a face-to-face meeting in Abu Dhabi on Saturday to renew talks, which broke down late last year, without conditions. Abbas said no, insisting that Israel first halt all settlement activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem - lands the Palestinians claim for a future state.
Then, at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late Saturday in Jerusalem, Clinton praised Netanyahu's offer to curb some settlement construction, saying it was an unprecedented gesture.
"I believe that the U.S. condones continued settlement expansion," Palestinian government spokesman Ghassan Khatib said Sunday in a rare public chiding of Washington.
"Calling for a resumption of negotiations despite continued settlement construction doesn't help because we have tried this way many times," Khatib added. "Negotiations are about ending the occupation and settlement expansion is about entrenching the occupation."
Palestinians expressed deep disappointment and frustration at Clinton's words, which signaled a softening of the past U.S. call for a complete freeze on settlement activity.
Jordan and Egypt also issued statements Sunday critical of the latest U.S. approach to the settlements issue. Clinton spoke by telephone with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
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U.S. Secretary of State Clinton meets Morocco's Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Firhi in Marrakesh on Monday. Reuters |
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a freeze should only occur as a negotiated result of a peace agreement. If there is no peace there should be continuing settlements. tha arabs are trying to get something for nothing. Obama mad a mistake making a freeze a pre negotiation issue when this was not an issue before.
I voted for Obama because he promissed to make many changes including US freign policy. Obama did not keep his promiss and now no country is going to trust him. This guy is bought by a small group of people and that the reason for changing his peace plan in the Middle East. I will never vote for him again.
Ever notice how failure is ALWAYS in the air whenver the Arab League utters anything about peace with Israel? From the three "no's" at Khartoum in 1968, through their continuing insistence on all or nothing, the Arab League represents the fear, the bombast and, yes, the failure of the Arabs, to gain a thing for the beloved Palestiian "brethren" for whom they bleat so loudly. Have they no idea how easy they make it for Israel to demur from the peace process??
... was she so intimitated or charmed by Bibi's salesman-spin, that she clean forgot that she was here to represent Obama's stance...?!
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and to slow down but not stop theift is still illegal? the theif says he will slow down stealing but still expects to keep all he has stolen? are you morally incapable of understanding?
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This is a risky work for Clinton. She should stay out of these dark forces. These fanatics are capable of behaving as Kamikazees. Dealing with Islamist-Jihadist fanatics whether in the Middle East or Southern Asia is a high dangerous work. It is time America stops wasting time on the scoundrels. The Obama administration should start focusing on improving America's economy and creating jobs and building confidence. Why swim in the risky and dangerous waters of Islamist-Jihadism affairs? The more mistakes the Obama administration makes, however, the better for the Republican. This will enable the Republican to retake the House, Senate, Administration and Governorships.
U reakkty wonder why Clinton is going to countries that have no connection with the dispute. Many of the Arab countries expelled their Jewish population, but refused to allow Arab "refugees" from Israel to become citizens. The Jews who left primarily for the US and Israel have become good useful citizens of their new countries. Half of Israel's present Jewish population is descended from these people cast out from the homes in which they had lived for centuries. Does the US believe the Arab leaders have any real interest in settling the Arab-Jewish dispute in the Middle East. It has existed for longer than the rebirth of the Land of Israel.
The Obama gang made a huge mistake. This is a mistake so obvious and so weighty that it will serve as the centerpiece of a failed presidency. Obama came out strongly and vocally against settlement expansion. He wanted to fast track peace talks and this was his first move in that direction. Abbas position mirrored Obamas. There should be a freeze on settlement constructios prior to peace talks. Somehow, Israel took Obama aside andworked some hocus pocus which shut Obama up. It has the additional effect of having Obamas secretary of state gush over Israels position oF "restraint" in settlement building as if it was a breakthrough, when, in fact, it was nothing. On a very public stage, Obama was chastised and silenced by Israel, and then he licks Israels hand. This has lost him every ounce of credibility and respect with the Arab world. He can expect nothing but contempt from them from this moment, and rightly so. Obamas presidency has doomed itself to failure in its first steps
... that what the Arab FM's say to Clinton behind closed doors will not be fit to print in a family newspaper?
Arab dissapoint of Clinton speach??? I am a proud american and very angry at Clinton speach. This is not the change I vote for! Take this is a notice administration of President Obama will be a new election in 3 years and the people that want 2 state solution will keep voting someone in that will stop a growing of a brat country!!
What is this "US-Israeli" 'understanding' on the settlements we hear about?
What's the use of ambassador Oren if Israel already has Hillary?