Clinton noted that after the Israelis’ two main goals were achieved — the installment of a satisfactory “partner” in Palestinian government and the normalization of relations with Arab neighbors – the Netanyahu government became disinterested in progressing with negotiations:
Despite Clinton’s acknowledgement of how Netanyahu’s hardline policies have made the negotiation process unattractive for the Palestinians, he affirmed the expected U.S. veto on the Palestinian statehood bid to the UN.
His words were nevertheless received coldly by Netanyahu who repeated the same sentiment in two interviews following his speech to the UN General Assembly. On NBC’s Meet the Press Netanyahu said blame lies with the Palestinians:
In the two-and-a-half years since then, anybody conversant with the facts knows that I made these offers again and again, called for two states for two peoples, froze the settlements — nobody did that, ever — for nearly a year. They didn’t come. They don’t want to come. And they go around to the U.N. I disagree with that.
Netanyahu’s explanation omits many important facts, such as how Israeli settlements have continued at an alarming rate during his rule. Indeed, the settlement freeze he is referring to was only a partial one in the West Bank and was not enforced in Jerusalem which Netanyahu claims as Israel’s “undivided capital” despite UN and Palestinian consensus for it to be divided fairly.
Clinton’s critique was received angrily by Likudniks in Israel and according to Haaretz, Netanyahu was so mad “that he asked his aides to request that the White House issue a statement distancing itself from Clinton’s statements.”
The Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday that a “US embassy spokesperson” said on Monday that “President Clinton is a private citizen” and “his comments reflect his private views.” Last year a similar reaction by the embassy was quoted after Clinton was criticized by the Israelis for commenting on the nature of Russian immigrant Israeli settlers.
But the White House refused to comment directly about the event after being pressed during a briefing led by Deputy Spokesperson Mark C. Toner on Monday:
MR. TONER: I’m not going to respond to that except to say that we’ve got, right now, from Friday a Quartet statement out there publicly. We’ve seen –
QUESTION: I’m not asking (inaudible). I’m saying –
MR. TONER: Let me finish (inaudible). Let me finish – that the Israelis have come out favorably for – the Palestinian Authority is examining it, looking at it closely. It provides an alternative path back to negotiations. That’s the way we believe we should be moving. That’s the direction we believe we should be moving.
QUESTION: But there is no reaction to the former President’s comments on – placing all the blame on Mr. Netanyahu, is there?
MR. TONER: Again, both sides need to look at the challenges that they’re facing and work to get back to the negotiating table. I think everyone is in agreement that that’s how we’re going to resolve this.