MARRAKESH, Morocco: Facing Arab criticism, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday moderated her praise for Israel’s offer to restrain — but not stop — building settlements in Palestinian areas.
While Israel was moving in the right direction, she said, its offer “falls far short” of US expectations. Clinton said her praise of Israel’s offer to restrict Jewish settlement activity had been intended as “positive reinforcement.”
Her remarks Saturday had drawn widespread criticism from Arab states, which saw it as an about-face of the US position on settlements.
During a photo-taking session with her Moroccan counterpart, Clinton was asked about the Arab reaction, and she responded by reading a written statement designed to counter skepticism about the Obama administration’s views on settlements.
“Successive American administrations of both parties have opposed Israel’s settlement policy,” she said. “That is absolutely a fact, and the Obama administration’s position on settlements is clear, unequivocal and it has not changed. As the president has said on many occasions, the United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.”
She added, however, that Israel deserved praise for moving in the right direction. “I will offer positive reinforcement to either of the parties when I believe they are taking steps that support the objective of reaching a two-state solution,” she said. Clinton is flying to the south-central Moroccan city of Ouarzazate for an audience with King Mohammed VI. Later she will return to Marrakesh for talks with Arab foreign ministers.
She also is expected to meet separately with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, who has rejected US appeals for improved Arab relations with Israel as a way to help restart Middle East peace talks, saying the Jewish state is not interested in a deal.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said earlier on Monday he feared Obama’s drive to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks could be heading for failure over the settlement issue.
Moussa said Arab states shared the Palestinian position that resuming negotiations was futile without a freeze on settlement expansion. “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.
Source: Arab News
While Israel was moving in the right direction, she said, its offer “falls far short” of US expectations. Clinton said her praise of Israel’s offer to restrict Jewish settlement activity had been intended as “positive reinforcement.”
Her remarks Saturday had drawn widespread criticism from Arab states, which saw it as an about-face of the US position on settlements.
During a photo-taking session with her Moroccan counterpart, Clinton was asked about the Arab reaction, and she responded by reading a written statement designed to counter skepticism about the Obama administration’s views on settlements.
“Successive American administrations of both parties have opposed Israel’s settlement policy,” she said. “That is absolutely a fact, and the Obama administration’s position on settlements is clear, unequivocal and it has not changed. As the president has said on many occasions, the United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.”
She added, however, that Israel deserved praise for moving in the right direction. “I will offer positive reinforcement to either of the parties when I believe they are taking steps that support the objective of reaching a two-state solution,” she said. Clinton is flying to the south-central Moroccan city of Ouarzazate for an audience with King Mohammed VI. Later she will return to Marrakesh for talks with Arab foreign ministers.
She also is expected to meet separately with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, who has rejected US appeals for improved Arab relations with Israel as a way to help restart Middle East peace talks, saying the Jewish state is not interested in a deal.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said earlier on Monday he feared Obama’s drive to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks could be heading for failure over the settlement issue.
Moussa said Arab states shared the Palestinian position that resuming negotiations was futile without a freeze on settlement expansion. “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.
Source: Arab News
| Home | Daily News | We Are On... |
