04 March 2009
Time Is of the Essence for Palestinian State, Says Clinton
America will engage a new Israeli government to further peace process
Washington — America strongly supports the creation of a future Palestinian state, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says, pledging to work for peace by engaging a new Israeli government on halting settlement expansion and easing border restrictions.
“Time is of the essence. We cannot afford more delays,” Clinton said in a joint press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah March 4. “The Obama administration will be vigorously engaged in efforts to forge a lasting peace between Israel, the Palestinians, and all of the Arab neighbors.”
America’s support for the Palestinians is much more than words, Clinton said following meetings with Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, as seen in $900 million in new U.S. humanitarian aid for Palestinians she announced at an international donors’ conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
“We will work with President Abbas, Prime Minister Fayyad, and the government of the Palestinian Authority to address critical humanitarian, budgetary, security, and infrastructure needs, both in Gaza and in the West Bank,” Clinton said. “The United States aims to foster conditions in which a Palestinian state can be fully realized, a state that can provide opportunities, a state that is a responsible partner, is at peace with Israel and its Arab neighbors, and is accountable to its people.” (See “United States Pledges $900 Million for Palestinians.”)
As Israel works to form a new government following recent elections, Clinton criticized plans to demolish more than 80 Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem. “Clearly, this kind of activity is unhelpful and not in keeping with the obligations entered into under the road map,” she said.
Clinton also pledged to engage the new Israeli government on its expansion of settlements into the occupied territories, a major stumbling block in the peace process. “I think at this time, we should wait until we have a new Israeli government. That will be soon and then we will look at whatever tools are available.”
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks were revived following the U.S.-sponsored Annapolis Conference in 2007, but have since stalled following an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip in December 2008 aimed at halting rocket attacks by the terrorist group Hamas, which seized control of Gaza from the ruling Palestinian Authority in 2007.
In meetings with Israeli officials March 3, Clinton said she urged easing of border crossing restrictions into Gaza to facilitate international assistance and rebuilding.
“We want humanitarian aid to get into Gaza in sufficient amounts to be able to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza,” Clinton said. “We are trying to express constructive ideas that we think will, on the one hand, alleviate the immediate crisis in Gaza, and on the other, give us an opportunity to set the table for a constructive and eventually successful resolution.” (See “U.S. Will Work Vigorously for Independent Palestinian State.”)
Clinton is continuing on to Brussels, Belgium, where she will meet with European Union leaders and attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. Clinton will complete her first official trip to the Middle East and Europe following talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva and consultations with Turkish leaders in Ankara, Turkey.
A transcript of remarks by Clinton and Abbas is available on America.gov.
Find out how you can send a text message to Secretary Clinton during her trip to the Middle East and Europe.
What actions do you think President Obama should take to move the Middle East peace process forward? Comment on America.gov’s blog.
