The secretary of State says a separate state for Palestinians may be an unpopular idea for many Israelis, but it is necessary as militants extend their reach and the Israeli Arab population grows.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday urged Israeli officials to make concessions for peace that may be unpopular with their own people, warning that the lengthening reach of militant rockets and an expanding Israeli Arab population make it impossible to maintain the status quo.
Speaking to a powerful pro-Israel lobby, Clinton said the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah are acquiring more sophisticated rockets that are reaching ever deeper into Israel’s heartland.
Meanwhile, the fast growth of the Palestinian population in Israel means the country may not be able to continue as a democracy if it also wishes to be the Jewish homeland, she told the annual gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
In this setting, “the status quo is unsustainable for all sides,” Clinton said.
The preferable path, she said, is creation of a separate state for the Palestinians. Yet the message is a tough sell for Israelis, most of whom are not optimistic at the moment about the chances for a negotiated solution to the fundamental Israel-Palestinian issues.
Clinton also sought to explain the Obama administration’s condemnation of Israeli plans for a 1,600-unit housing construction project in East Jerusalem, which Palestinians hope will be the capital of their future state.
The March 9 announcement of the plans came during a visit to Israel by Vice President Joe Biden.
Though it angered U.S. officials, “this was not about wounded pride,” Clinton said. Rather, such projects shake the confidence of Palestinians, undermine the U.S. ability to help negotiate peace, and strengthen Arab enemies of peace, she said.
“We objected to this announcement because we are committed to Israel and its security,” Clinton said.
Clinton also declared that the United States is strongly committed to Israeli security. She was planning to meet later Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will sit down Tuesday with President Obama.
