Clinton Clarifies U.S. Position on Restraining Settlement Activity

[State Department] Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday in Morocco: "The Israelis have responded to the call from the United States, the Palestinians and the Arab world to stop settlement activity by expressing a willingness to restrain settlement activity....This offer falls far short of what we would characterize as our position, or what our preference would be. But if it is acted upon, it will be an unprecedented restriction on settlements....In my report to the President last month, I talked about Israeli willingness to restrain settlement activity as a positive step." "What we are trying to achieve is a two-state solution with a state that represents the aspirations of the Palestinian people - the sovereignty and to have control over their own future, and provide the security guarantees to Israel for their own future. That is my goal. And when either party takes any steps that looks like it moves us in the right direction - even if it is not what I would like or what I would prefer - I'm going to positively reinforce that."


2009-11-03 06:00:00

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