Clinton Calls Netanyahu to Condemn Israeli Settlement (Update2)
March 12, 2010, 5:09 PM EST(Adds Quartet condemnation from fifth paragraph.)
By Indira A.R. Lakshmanan and Bill Varner
March 12 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lodge “strong objections” to Israel’s announcement of a Jewish housing project in east Jerusalem during Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel this week.
Clinton told Netanyahu the announcement of 1,600 apartments for Jews in east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as their capital under U.S.-backed plans for a two-state peace deal, was “a deeply negative signal about Israel’s approach” to relations with the U.S., State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley told reporters today in Washington.
“The secretary said she could not understand how this happened, particularly in light of the United States’ strong commitment to Israel’s security,” Crowley said. “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.”
The Obama administration was blindsided and embarrassed by Israel’s settlement announcement on March 9, which caused an uproar in the Arab world. Arab League ministers agreed in Cairo March 3 to back a return to indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
The so-called Middle East Quartet also condemned the announcement of the housing project, the UN said in a statement released in New York. The Quartet was set up by the U.S., Russia, European Union and the United Nations to promote Israel- Palestinian peace efforts.
Quartet Monitors Developments
“The quartet has agreed to closely monitor developments in Jerusalem and to keep under consideration additional steps that may be required to address the situation on the ground,” the statement said. “The quartet reaffirms that unilateral actions taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations and will not be recognized by the international community.”
Clinton told Netanyahu that Israel’s announcement, in its timing during a visit by a top U.S. official who is a longtime supporter of Israel and its contradiction of Israel’s pledge to freeze settlements, “undermined trust and confidence in the peace process and in America’s interests,” Crowley said.
Netanyahu’s Responsibility
Asked by a reporter if the U.S. disputed Netanyahu’s explanation that he did not know the announcement was coming, Crowley replied, “He is the head of the Israeli government and ultimately is responsible for the actions of that government.”
The U.S. is trying to keep a new round of Middle East peace talks on track, with a flurry of calls yesterday by U.S. envoy George Mitchell and assistant secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman to Arab leaders.
Wrapping up his four-day visit to Israel and the West Bank, Biden said yesterday he’s counting on Israelis and Palestinians to restart talks that have been frozen 15 months.
“The most important thing is for these talks to go forward and go forward promptly and go forward in good faith,” Biden said in a speech at Tel Aviv University before flying to Jordan. “We can’t delay because when progress is postponed, extremists exploit our differences.”
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said no decision will be made about joining the talks until Mitchell returns to clarify the Israeli position on the housing project. Regarding Netanyahu’s statement, he said: “It’s not good enough because it talks about an error in timing and not the error in substance. This project must be revoked.”
Mitchell, the former U.S. senator and peace mediator in Northern Ireland, is scheduled to return to the region next week.
--With reporting by Jonathan Ferziger in Bethlehem and Ramallah and Gwen Ackerman in Jerusalem. Editors: Ann Hughey, Laurie Asseo.
To contact the reporter on this story: Indira Lakshmanan in Washington at ilakshmanan@bloomberg.net; William Varner in New York at wvarner@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jim Kirk at jkirk12@bloomberg.net
