US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the Israel’s eviction of families from their homes in East Jerusalem “regrettable.” Reuter’s video of her remarks.
On August 2, 2009, the New York Times published a piece about the Middle East peace process in response to notions that George Mitchell’s mediation efforts have thus far gone no where.
WASHINGTON — George J. Mitchell likes to remind people that he labored for 700 days before reaching the Good Friday accord that brought peace to Northern Ireland. So the fact that Mr. Mitchell has shuttled back and forth to the Middle East for the last 190 days without any breakthroughs, he said, does not mean that President Obama’s push for peace there is stalled.
Martin S. Indyk, a former ambassador to Israel and peace negotiator in the Clinton administration, which permitted settlements in the Palestinian territories to double in rate and number, and subsequent director of the right wing proIsrael Saban Institute in Washington, put the discouragement this way (same NYT article):
“There are only so many visits George Mitchell can make.”
In Israel, public opinion toward Mr. Obama, which was skeptical to start with, has soured because of the tension over settlements. In the Arab world, there is little evidence of a change of heart toward Israel.
On the same day, August 2, that Mitchell reported his no stall message, several news agencies covered the story about the evictions of the two families in Arab East Jerusalem (above video). The evictions were based on the claims of settlers to their land. Said Netanyahu about the evictions, Jews can live anywhere in Jerusalem, reflecting his non-negotiable position of a unified Jerusalem, meaning no Palestinian capital. And of course he has remained adamant about the “natural growth” expansion of settlements, contrary to Obama’s admonition.
Several news agencies reported on Hillary Clinton’s response to these East Jerusalem evictions, some even calling it a “condemnation.” Just what did Hillary say?
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States and the European Union hit out Monday at Israel for evicting Palestinian families from East Jerusalem, warning that such moves endangered the Middle East peace process.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton led the international condemnation, labeling the evictions “deeply regrettable” and “provocative” and accusing Israel of failing to live up to its international obligations under existing peace initiatives.
“I have said before that the eviction of families and demolition of homes in East Jerusalem is not in keeping with Israeli obligations,” Clinton told reporters at a Washington press conference alongside Jordanian counterpart Nasser Judeh
“Regrettable”, “provocative”? Last time the home of a Palestinian family was bulldozed in East Jerusalem, Hillary called it “unhelpful.” Is this condemnation or just a slap on the wrist?
So Mitchell says that the Middle East peace process is not stalled. Give us a break. Likud has won the first battle by stalemating any push by the Obama administration to stop Israel’s continuing ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians. And Netanyahu and his right wing racist gang is still in office.