JERUSALEM -- The Palestinians on Sunday accused Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton of undermining progress toward Mideast peace talks after she praised Israel for offering to curb some Jewish settlement construction.
After meeting Israeli and Palestinian leaders during a visit Saturday, Clinton called for an unconditional resumption of peace talks and welcomed Israel's offer for a slowdown in settlement activity.
But Palestinians rejected the idea of resuming talks, reiterating their demand that Israel must first freeze all construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem - lands they claim for a future state.
"I believe that the U.S. condones continued settlement expansion," Palestinian government spokesman Ghassan Khatib said in a rare public chiding of Washington.
I don't understand why we don't tell Israel that they can't build anymore on occupied territory? It only makes sense. The Israelis make all sorts of conditions on Palestinians to get them to the table, but they refuse to do something as simple as cease and desist until a resolution can be drafted. I think we should stop all weapons sales to Israel and ask for UN sanctions if they continue to refuse to act responsibly. They know the settlement issue is a sore point and they willingly allow construction to continue. When pressed on the issue, the Israelis temporarily back down until they think were not looking, and they start building again. They're playing the game just as much, or more, than the Palestinians. I say that the UN should put sanctions on Israel that are equal to the blockades that have isolated the Palestinians for years...see how quickly they come to the table with a viable plan that puts the onus for peace equally on both countries. The British, the US and the Russians created this mess after WW2. Now it's time for us to clean it up.
Palestinians accuse Clinton of hurting peace talks - washingtonpost.com
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