Clinton slams Israel on housing announcement

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

By MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press Writer Matthew Lee, Associated Press Writer
1 hr 20 mins ago
 
WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday delivered a stinging rebuke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his government's announcement this week of new Jewish housing in East Jerusalem.

The State Department said Clinton spoke to Netanyahu by phone to express U.S. frustration with Tuesday's announcement that cast a pall over a visit to Israel by Vice President Joe Biden. A State spokesman said the Israeli move has endangered indirect peace talks with the Palestinians that the Obama administration had announced just a day earlier.

Clinton called "to make clear that the United States considered the announcement to be a deeply negative signal about Israel's approach to the bilateral relationship and counter to the spirit of the vice president's trip," department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters.

The harsh criticism of America's closest Mideast ally and questions about its commitment to the U.S.-Israeli relationship followed equally blunt condemnation of the housing announcement from the White House and Biden himself.

It also comes ahead of a trip to the region by U.S. Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell and a meeting in Moscow next week of senior officials from the Quartet of Mideast peacemakers.

The Israeli announcement took the U.S. by surprise and enraged Palestinians and Arab states, jeopardizing indirect peace talks Mitchell is to mediate

"The secretary said she could not understand how this happened, particularly in light of the United States' strong commitment to Israel's security and she made clear that the Israeli government needed to demonstrate not just through words but through specific actions that they are committed to this relationship and to the peace process," he said.

Crowley stressed that the United States strongly objected to both the content and timing of the announcement and said Clinton had "reinforced that this action had undermined trust and confidence in the peace process and in America's interests."

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I bet she was none too nice about it........good job.

[useful idiot]

If Washington can back up their talk and give the Israelis consequences for their actions then I'll be impressed...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

If only other Western leaders were as proactive on the housing issue as Bibi.

[Bo]

I disagree with Clinton on this. Even her husband was more lentient of Israeli settlements than Obama (though not by much, and then again Bill Clitnon pressured Israel not to respond to terrorism).

[Хahar 🤔]

"Slam"? lol

[patrick1]

I guess Hilary isn't worried about her campaign coffers anymore.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

I disagree with Clinton on this. Even her husband was more lentient of Israeli settlements than Obama (though not by much, and then again Bill Clitnon pressured Israel not to respond to terrorism).

Uh, how much more lenient can ya get? Every U.S. administration has allowed itself to be walked all over upon by Israel for decades.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I disagree with Clinton on this. Even her husband was more lentient of Israeli settlements than Obama (though not by much, and then again Bill Clitnon pressured Israel not to respond to terrorism).

So you think it's normal to build Israeli colonies in territories that, by common agreement, are considered as belonging to the Palestinian State ?

[danny]

If only other Western leaders were as proactive on the housing issue as Bibi.

In this case Bibi wasn't proactive at all. In fact, it seems he only found out about the plan after the Americans complained.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

If only other Western leaders were as proactive on the housing issue as Bibi.

In this case Bibi wasn't proactive at all. In fact, it seems he only found out about the plan after the Americans complained.

lol

[GMantis]

Israel couldn't have chosen a better (or worse?) way to show how little they care for the peace process. But I don't think the US will do actually anything about it.

[Lief 🗽]

Good. Fuck that apartheid state. The nerve of those fascists and racists running that country to insult the Vice President and the United States (you know, their only real ally) like this.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

Good. Fuck that apartheid state. The nerve of those fascists and racists running that country to insult the Vice President and the United States (you know, their only real ally) like this.

LOL, now you're an anti-Zionist?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I guess the Israeli right doesn't like Obama. The Liebermans would probably be BFFs.

[Lief 🗽]

Good. Fuck that apartheid state. The nerve of those fascists and racists running that country to insult the Vice President and the United States (you know, their only real ally) like this.

LOL, now you're an anti-Zionist?

I think Israel is an apartheid state. I don't think they should cease to exist.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

Let's see if anything other than hollow words comes out of this. It'd be the first positive thing to come out from this administration.

[Хahar 🤔]

Let's see if anything other than hollow words comes out of this. It'd be the first positive thing to come out from this administration.

This is the government of the United States of America we're talking about.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

And Israel now says f off........again.......when do we really put our foot down?

[CultureKing]

Why don't we just decrease our financial support for Israel by around $1 billion and see how they react? I feel like if we actually back up our words then they would actually stop building these new, ridiculous settlements.

[Bo]

Why don't we just decrease our financial support for Israel by around $1 billion and see how they react? I feel like if we actually back up our words then they would actually stop building these new, ridiculous settlements.

About 85% of the population in the settlements is located right near the Israel border. How about Israel disbands the settlements deep inside the West Bank where the other 15% of settlers live and keep the other settlements. Also, a good idea would be for Israel and the PA to decide on borders immediately so that way Israel could continue building how much it wants on its side while not building anything on the other side.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Why don't we just decrease our financial support for Israel by around $1 billion and see how they react? I feel like if we actually back up our words then they would actually stop building these new, ridiculous settlements.

Substantially decreasing financial support would do the job and I'm in favor of it, but Congress won't let that happen large scale.

[Bo]

Why don't we just decrease our financial support for Israel by around $1 billion and see how they react? I feel like if we actually back up our words then they would actually stop building these new, ridiculous settlements.

Substantially decreasing financial support would do the job and I'm in favor of it, but Congress won't let that happen large scale.

Didn't Bush Sr. threaten to cut off aid to Israel? That accomplished some results.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Why don't we just decrease our financial support for Israel by around $1 billion and see how they react? I feel like if we actually back up our words then they would actually stop building these new, ridiculous settlements.

Substantially decreasing financial support would do the job and I'm in favor of it, but Congress won't let that happen large scale.

Didn't Bush Sr. threaten to cut off aid to Israel? That accomplished some results.

From a January 2010 article in the Christian Science Monitor:

"President Bush and loan guarantees

In late 1990, Israel requested $10 billion in loan guarantees from the US, mostly to finance the resettlement of Soviet Jews in the country. In 1991, then President George H. W. Bush asked Congress to delay action on the loan guarantee as he sought to arrange an Arab-Israeli peace conference. In early 1992, then-Secretary of State James Baker said the president would not approve the loan guarantees unless Israel promised to halt settlement expansion. Then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin announced a settlement freeze in July of 1992 and the guarantee program was approved that October. "

[milhouse24]

Its so awesome that american civilians and troops are dying to protect Israel.  As for the houses, can't palestinians just live in them after they are built?  Or are they only for jewish people?  Wow, what an awesome country.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

She needs to "accidentally" hold some of of Israel's $3 billion a year they get from us until they get the hint. It would be so tragic if some of that $3 billion went to creating American jobs instead.