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Clinton's Mideast Push Hits Brick Wall

Palestinians rebuff Israeli offer to slow but not stop settlements

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 31, 2009 11:30 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Hillary Clinton's day of diplomacy in the Mideast yielded little progress. She met separately with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu but did not secure a deal to restart peace talks. The main sticking point: Abbas rebuffed an offer from Netanyahu—and relayed by Clinton—to slow but not stop new settlements. Clinton called the offer "unprecedented," but Abbas called it a "non-starter," reports the New York Times.

“Mr. Netanyahu has a choice, settlements or peace, and he has chosen settlements," said Abbas. Netanyahu said no such restrictions on settlements have ever been a condition for talks, notes the Wall Street Journal. Clinton agreed: "What the prime minister is saying is historically accurate," she said. "What the prime minister has offered ... is unprecedented in the context of prior to negotiations."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton listens during a press conference in Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton listens during a press conference in Jerusalem.   (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)
In this picture from Emirates News Agency, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, 2nd left, in Abu Dhabi.
In this picture from Emirates News Agency, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, 2nd left, in Abu Dhabi.   (AP Photo / WAM-HO)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reacts as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks on during a press conference in Jerusalem.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reacts as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks on during a press conference in Jerusalem.   (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference in Jerusalem Saturday.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference in Jerusalem Saturday.   (AP Photo/ Rina Castelnuovo, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton shakes hands with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak ahead of their meeting in Jerusalem Saturday Oct. 31, 2009.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton shakes hands with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak ahead of their meeting in Jerusalem Saturday Oct. 31, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ronen Zvulun , Pool)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 52 comments
RockyPneumonia
Nov 2, 2009 12:16 PM CST
" you don't see that what the Israelis do to cause what the Palestinians do" -- Just so everyone's clear on this, fancygapva, you are justifying -- or trying to -- blowing up teenagers in pizza parlors.
fancygapva
Nov 2, 2009 12:00 PM CST
@ enoughie The problem is that you don't see that what the Israelis do to cause what the Palestinians do and how you have this endless feud of Hatfields and McCoys with no end to it because "God is on the side of the chosen." Because of the inequality in arms, the Palestinians have shoulder fired rockets and suicide vests and the Israelis have modern guns, tanks, rockets and all the tactical advantage AND they by policy try to take 100 Palestinian lives for their one Chosen one who is killed. Palestinians live in Ghettos and killed like animals. If the case were reversed, what would you do? If you were oppressed instead of special? Someone has to stop it. This country provides "loans" that are always forgiven and military materials while Isreal's special status has allowed it to build and equip missiles with nuclear bombs without having to admit it or be inspected. Now, is that how a good neighbor acts? Oh, and I might mention that neither Israel nor the United States recognizes the democratically elected president of the Palestinian Territories. They have Abbas in their pockets and he will come around and negotiate while the Israelis in fact build more settlements, not just houses, swimming pools, stores, neighborhoods, schools and temples. Settlements overlooking the squaler that is the Occupied Territories.
Enoughie
Nov 2, 2009 6:13 AM CST
@fancygapva: You know where else there are "checkpoints"? in airports, in Israeli shopping-malls, restaurants, nightclubs, schools, universities, hospitals, government buildings, sometimes on Israeli roads, tall buildings, should I go on? You think Israelis like having these "checkpoints" as part of their daily life? No, But you know why sometimes "checkpoints" are necessary? Because there are some, who are taught from a very young age that to kill Israelis may get them to heaven, and that they are doing it in the name of "resistance," or some other "noble" cause. So no, I don't like "checkpoints" but I prefer to be alive rather than dead, and that those who are interested in killing Israelis to be stopped somewhere along the way in some "checkpoint" rather than collected as body-parts from the floor of some nightclub. And I prefer peace and freedom and equality to conflict and war. And that Palestinians will not be taught this madness, and be able to live freely and prosper as good neighbors. That's why it would be nice if Mr. Abbas would stop mounting new and unheard-of demands and start negotiating for a peace settlement.

 
Hillary Clinton • Israel • Mahmoud Abbas • secretary of State • Benjamin Netanyahu • Israel and Palestinians • Palestinians • Mideast peace talks • Arab-Israeli conflict

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