Clinton chides, reassures Israel in AIPAC speech

[laststeamtrain]

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

Clinton chides, reassures Israel in AIPAC speech
By Warren P. Strobel, McClatchy Newspapers Mon Mar 22, 10:51 am ET

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sought Monday to reassure Israel of the Obama administration's strong backing after the worst friction between the countries in almost 20 years, even as she reiterated U.S. objections to continued Israeli building in East Jerusalem .

Speaking to the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the powerful Jewish-American lobby, Clinton declared that the administration's commitment to Israel is "rock solid, enduring, unwavering and forever."

She promised "sanctions that will bite" for Iran's suspected nuclear-weapons program, which is Israel's No. 1 security concern.

Relations between the White House and Israel were strained severely earlier this month when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, during a visit by Vice President Joe Biden , announced plans to construct 1,600 homes in Palestinian-claimed East Jerusalem .

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20100322/wl_mcclatchy/3457962

[Kolesar]

1. The Arab population in the lands that make up Israel , the West Bank and Gaza is growing faster than

... the Jewish one is.

"We cannot ignore the long-term population trends that result from Israeli occupation," Clinton said. "The inexorable mathematics of demography are hastening the hour at which Israelis may have to choose between preserving their democracy and staying true to the dream of a Jewish homeland."

"Given this reality, a two-state solution is the only viable path for Israel to remain both a democracy and a Jewish state," she said.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[KG]

3. i'm sure she'll send a strongly-worded letter with the next shipment of guns, planes and money.

[Wilms]

4. "...Hillary Clinton sought Monday to reassure Israel..."

Yeah. That's the ticket. A policy of appeasement toward a bully we weaponize.