Palestinians Downbeat despite US Backtracking, Obama Team Loses Face
03/11/2009 The Palestinians remained pessimistic about the likelihood of relaunching “peace talks” with Israel despite US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's attempt to clarify earlier remarks about settlements. During a visit to Morocco, Clinton told Arab leaders that Washington remained opposed to all Israeli settlement activity after she had praised an Israeli offer to ease construction as "unprecedented" during a visit to occupied Jerusalem.
Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki said Monday he was "satisfied" with Clinton's clarifications, but the Palestinian Authority (PA) insisted on Tuesday it would not relaunch talks without a complete settlement freeze. "Clinton's backtracking on her remarks, especially with regard to the partial freeze of settlements, is not sufficient to restart negotiations with Israel," PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP. "The administration must compel Israel to halt all settlements in the Palestinian territories, including natural growth and settlement activity in east Jerusalem."
The Palestinian press remained intensely pessimistic that US President Barack Obama would follow through on his demand that Israel halt settlement activity, seen as the main obstacle to relaunching the so-called peace process.
Analysts said Monday that the Obama administration must devise a fresh plan to restart Arab-Israeli talks after losing face with a backtracking on its demands for a full settlement freeze. Obama's team has disappointed many Palestinians and other Arabs who long for it to fulfill both its initial tough stance on settlements and a broader pledge to improve ties with the Muslim world, they said.
The "paradox," one analyst argued, is that an administration which began with a tough policy toward the Israelis and a "sensitive" one toward the Palestinians has now shifted the onus to the Palestinians.
03/11/2009 The Palestinians remained pessimistic about the likelihood of relaunching “peace talks” with Israel despite US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's attempt to clarify earlier remarks about settlements. During a visit to Morocco, Clinton told Arab leaders that Washington remained opposed to all Israeli settlement activity after she had praised an Israeli offer to ease construction as "unprecedented" during a visit to occupied Jerusalem.
Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki said Monday he was "satisfied" with Clinton's clarifications, but the Palestinian Authority (PA) insisted on Tuesday it would not relaunch talks without a complete settlement freeze. "Clinton's backtracking on her remarks, especially with regard to the partial freeze of settlements, is not sufficient to restart negotiations with Israel," PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP. "The administration must compel Israel to halt all settlements in the Palestinian territories, including natural growth and settlement activity in east Jerusalem."
The Palestinian press remained intensely pessimistic that US President Barack Obama would follow through on his demand that Israel halt settlement activity, seen as the main obstacle to relaunching the so-called peace process.
Analysts said Monday that the Obama administration must devise a fresh plan to restart Arab-Israeli talks after losing face with a backtracking on its demands for a full settlement freeze. Obama's team has disappointed many Palestinians and other Arabs who long for it to fulfill both its initial tough stance on settlements and a broader pledge to improve ties with the Muslim world, they said.
The "paradox," one analyst argued, is that an administration which began with a tough policy toward the Israelis and a "sensitive" one toward the Palestinians has now shifted the onus to the Palestinians.
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