Israel/Palestine

Jefferson23

(30,099 posts) Sun Jun 8, 2014, 10:55 AM Jun 2014

Clinton: US push for settlement freeze in 2009 was a tactical mistake

Obama administration's hard line on settlement construction hardened Abbas, who refused to negotiate directly with Israel during the 10-month period, former secretary of state writes in new memoir.

Associated Press
Published: 06.07.14,

snip* "In retrospect, our early, hard line on settlements didn't work," she wrote.

She said pushing for a freeze on the building of new Israeli homes in disputed territories hardened Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who didn't negotiate directly with Israel for most of a 10-month construction pause because it didn't include East Jerusalem.

snip*Distancing herself from some of the Obama administration's handling of the Arab Spring, Clinton said that she pushed for Hosni Mubarak to initiate an orderly transition of power in Egypt but was overruled by President Barack Obama's call for the strongman to stand down immediately.

In her book, Clinton describes an administration split during the frantic days of Arab protests in 2011. She includes herself among an old guard of cautious realists such as Vice President Joe Biden, national security adviser Tom Donilon and Defense Secretary Robert Gates at odds with a younger generation of White House aides "swept up in the drama and idealism of the moment."

"I was concerned that we not be seen as pushing a longtime partner out the door, leaving Egypt, Israel, Jordan and the region to an uncertain, dangerous future," the former secretary of state recounts.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4527647,00.html

4 replies

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Clinton: US push for settlement freeze in 2009 was a tactical mistake (Original Post) Jefferson23 Jun 2014 OP

interesting article azurnoir Jun 2014 #1

She is hawking it pretty good from the snips of her book. Why she sees that as a Jefferson23 Jun 2014 #2

Chris Matthews and David Corn defend Israel against ‘slander’ of apartheid Jefferson23 Jun 2014 #3

Who loves the Israeli government PR positioning fight: Jefferson23 Jun 2014 #4

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)

1. interesting article

Reply to Jefferson23 (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 11:36 AM

Jun 2014

albeit that younger generation comment harkens back her 3am red phone commercial from 2008

Jefferson23

(30,099 posts)

2. She is hawking it pretty good from the snips of her book. Why she sees that as a

Reply to azurnoir (Reply #1)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 12:50 PM

Jun 2014

winning approach, I'm not sure. Obama ran to her left and won as a result, who she
is courting right now..I am puzzled unless part of her strategy is to look tough
against any Republican.

Jefferson23

(30,099 posts)

3. Chris Matthews and David Corn defend Israel against ‘slander’ of apartheid

Reply to Jefferson23 (Original post)

Tue Jun 10, 2014, 08:04 AM

Jun 2014

I just saw this on Hardball. Bill Kristol’s group the Emergency Committee for Israel has a new attack ad out against Hillary Clinton. It’s to air on the ABC network tonight during an interview with the former secretary of State.

The ad scores Hillary Clinton for not condemning John Kerry’s comment that Israel could become an apartheid state. Here’s my transcript of the ad:

When secretary of state John Kerry said Israel could become “an apartheid state,” America’s most prominent Jewish groups condemned Kerry, but not Hillary Clinton. Democratic Party organizations called on Kerry to apologize, but not Hillary Clinton. Democratic Senators and congressman criticized Kerry, but not Hillary Clinton. When John Kerry slandered Israel, Democrats spoke out. So why not Hillary Clinton?

The ad is false inasmuch as Hillary Clinton is more pro-Israel than Obama and Kerry. What I found distasteful is that Matthews and his guest David Corn landed on the Emergency Committee by vigorously defending Israel, and characterizing the apartheid charge as a slander. No video yet, but Matthews used that word. The two said the charge isn’t even germane till the Palestinian population between the river and the sea is larger than the Jewish population– not till 2020, Matthews projected.

But apartheid’s criminal definition has nothing to do with a minority ruling over a majority; it’s defined as a system of legalized racial/ethnic privilege characterized by persecution or other inhumane practices. Right now it’s “apartheid on steroids” in the West Bank, according to The Nation, the magazine Corn used to work for. Palestinian political leader Mustafa Barghouthi says it’s “full-fledged apartheid” right now. Archbishop Desmond Tutu knows what apartheid is; he says it’s apartheid.

How sad that supporters of the Democratic Party have to line up with AIPAC– which is cited approvingly in the Emergency Committee for Israel ad. Sad that Matthews has to come out in such an operatic manner for Israel (the offensive ad was his closing bit too).

http://mondoweiss.net/2014/06/matthews-slander-apartheid.html

Jefferson23

(30,099 posts)

4. Who loves the Israeli government PR positioning fight:

Reply to Jefferson23 (Original post)

Tue Jun 10, 2014, 12:32 PM

Jun 2014

Clinton criticized for saying Palestinians live 'under occupation'
CNN 'Crossfire' host wonders if the former secretary of state should apologize for description in her new book of Palestinians 'being denied the dignity and self-determination that Americans take for granted.'

By Haaretz | Jun. 10, 2014 | 4:59 PM

Hillary Clinton drew criticism on CNN Monday for mentioning in her new memoir, "Hard Choices," that Palestinians in the West Bank are living "under occupation."

In the book, released in stores Tuesday, the former secretary of state discusses both Israel and the Palestinians. In one section she recalls a trip she took with her husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, to Jericho in 1981.

"When we left the city and visited Jericho, in the West Bank. I got my first glimpse of life under occupation for Palestinians, who were denied the dignity and self-determination that Americans take for granted."

On the CNN television debate show "Crossfire," cohost S.E. Cupp asked Tracy Sefl, a representative of the pro-Clinton super PAC Ready for Hillary, whether the former secretary of state feels she owes Israel an apology for "using the same language that Chris Christie used," referring to the incident last March when the New Jersey governor apologized for referring to the “occupied territories” in a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition.

Sefl responded, "Hillary Clinton is going to stand by the words in her book. She is not going to apologize for something she need not apologize for," adding, "I’m unapologetically pro-Israel and Hillary is very, very strong on this. If that’s the tree you want to bark up, I wish you luck.”

http://www.haaretz.com/news/world/1.598018

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