By Maya Rosen
Hillary Clinton recently finished her first foreign diplomatic missions as the new Secretary of State under President Obama. Many saw these trips to the Mideast and Europe as an opportunity for Hilary Clinton to establish herself as Secretary of State and to demonstrate the Obama administration’s foreign policy plan and goals. Clinton has made some striking comments that clearly differ from the Bush administration’s policy, but on other issues she has remained fairly constant with previous United States politicians.
One of the biggest foreign policy changes evident so far between the Bush administration and the Obama administration is the decision to renew talks with Syria. Former President George W. Bush and Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice refused to maintain diplomatic relations with Syria due to the country’s involvement in terrorist activities. Mrs. Clinton has already announced that two United States envoys will be sent to Syria, saying, “we have no way to predict what the future with our relations concerning Syria might be.” A positive diplomatic relationship between the United States and Syria could possibly lead to reinstating peace talks between Syria and Israel. Clinton has been very excited by prospects of a positive relationship with Syria, despite the fact that Iran, a country seen to many as a threat to the Western world and Syria are main allies and that Syria sponsors terrorist organizations. However, it is more important to Clinton that peace can be made between Israel and Syria, and she wants Syria to be involved in peace talks. “We are reaching out to determine what, if any, areas of cooperation and engagement are productive, and that includes Syria,” she said recently.
Mrs. Clinton has also been speaking out about creating a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. “The Obama administration will be vigorously engaged in efforts to forge a lasting peace between Israel, Palestinians and all of the Arab neighbors,” she said. In her recent visit to the region, Clinton met with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and President Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, along with other Palestinian leaders in the West Bank. Although Clinton reiterated that the key to an immediate peace between Israel and Palestine is an immediate end to Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel, she added that Israel should reopen its borders with Gaza to allow aid to enter. Clinton announced that America would be sending $900 million to Gaza in aid, although she stated that “it’s very difficult to solve this dilemma while Israel is still under rocket attack.” “In the absence of Hamas agreeing to the principles that have been adopted by such a broad range of international actors, I don’t see that we or they — or anyone — could deal with Hamas,” Clinton told CNN.
Clinton disapproved of both Israel closing the Gaza borders and the continued rocket attacks, but while she met with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, President Shimon Peres, and Mahmoud Abbas she would not meet with Hamas, saying that the group must recognize Israel as a legitimate country. Hamas leaders were very unhappy with Clinton’s trip, calling it “a slap in the face of those who were expecting changes in America foreign policy. She did not bring anything new. Instead, her statements show bias to the Zionist enemy.”
Many of the Israeli leaders whom Secretary of State Clinton met with expressed concern about a nuclear Iran. In an attempt to assuage fears, Clinton said that “when we talk about engagement with Iran, do not be in any way confused, our goal remains the same: to dissuade and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and continuing to fund terrorism.” However, with the possibility of a dialogue beginning between the United States and Iran, Israel wanted to make sure that clear constraints and guidelines for U.S-Iran relations were in place.
Clinton was also very supportive of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the rival group of the terrorist organization Hamas. Clinton called the Palestinian Authority the “only legitimate government of the Palestinian people”. However, despite Clinton’s support, Abbas remains unpopular and is seen as weak among most people.
The climax of Clinton’s trip came when she voiced her belief for the need of a two-state solution. “We happen to believe that moving toward a two-state solution is in Israel’s best interests,” Clinton said. “It is our assessment that eventually, the inevitability of working toward a two-state solution is inescapable,” she said during a news conference with Tzipi Livni. The Israeli government is in a transition period right now following elections last month. It is expected that Benyamin Netanyahu of the right-wing Likud party will form a coalition and become Prime Minister in the next few weeks. Clinton’s proposal for a two-state solution is in direct conflict with Netanyahu’s beliefs, but Clinton emphasized that she is willing to work with any Israeli coalition. Because Clinton said the United State does not want to interfere with the formation of an Israeli parliamentary coalition, the United States Mideast envoy George Mitchell will not travel to the region until after a coalition has been formed. Clinton restated the “special relationship” that exists between America and Israel. She emphasized the unilateral support America will give Israel, despite the fact that the Obama foreign policy disagrees with Netanyahu’s Likud party on the three of the biggest issues facing the Mideast today: how to deal with Syria, the possibility of nuclear weapons in Iran, and how best to pursue peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
1. I’m pretty sure that Israel and Syria are already holding indirect talks, using Turkey as a mediator.
Works Cited
“Clinton says Palestinian state is inevitable.” The Irish Times. 08 Mar. 2009 <http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2009/0304/1224242231466.html>.
“Clinton speaks up for Abbas, and aid for Gaza.” Yahoo! News. 08 Mar. 2009 <http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090304/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_clinton_mideast>.
“Clinton travels to a hardened Israel.” The Christian Science Monitor. 08 Mar. 2009 <http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0304/p01s02-wome.html>.
“Clinton woos Syria in Mission Impossible.” UPI. 08 Mar. 2009 <http://www.upi.com/news/issueoftheday/2009/03/04/Clinton_woos_Syria_in_Mission_Impossible/UPI-30531236183171/>.
“Hillary Clinton, US Secretary Of State Leaves Middle East After First Visit To The Region.” Sky News. 08 Mar. 2009 <http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Hillary-Clinton-US-Secretary-Of-State-Leaves-Middle-East-After-First-Visit-To-The Region/Article/200903115234828?lpos=World_News_Second_Home_Page_Feature_Teaser_region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15234828_Hillary_Clinton%2C_US_Secretary_Of_State_Leaves_Middle_East_After_First_Visit_To_The_Region>.
Silverstein, Richard. “Hillary Clinton’s Middle East trip represents a tougher US- Israel policy.” Guardian. 08 Mar. 2009 <http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/mar/02/hillary-clinton-middle-east-trip>.
