Clinton Pursues 'Comprehensive Peace' in Mideast

[Turborama]

Source: Washington Post

By Glenn Kessler

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, March 2--Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday the Obama administration is committed to achieving "a comprehensive peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors and we will pursue it on many fronts." Her statement, made at an international conference being held to raise funds to ease suffering in the Gaza Strip, suggests the Obama administration is interested in seeking diplomatic opportunities beyond the stalemated Israeli-Palestinian track, such as a possible peace agreement between Israel and Syria.

Indirect talks between the long-time antagonists have been held in recent months with the assistance of Turkey, which Clinton will visit late this week. The Bush administration largely cut off relations with Syria but a senior U.S. diplomat last week held exploratory talks with the Syrian ambassador at the State Department

Clinton, as expected, announced $300 million in humanitarian relief for Gaza, which is controlled by the militant group Hamas, and $600 million in aid for the Palestinian Authority, which is run by Fatah, a rival Palestinian faction. She cast the funding as an effort to help all Palestinians, not to divide them, although there are strict limits on the funds to prevent any from reaching Hamas. The funds must be approved by Congress. "A child growing up in Gaza without shelter, health care or an education has the same right to go to school, see a doctor and live with a roof over her head as a child growing up in your country or mine," Clinton said. For that be achieved, she told the Palestinians, "it is time to break the cycle of rejection and resistance, to cut the strings pulled by those who exploit the suffering of innocent Palestinians."

Gaza, where unemployment tops 40 percent and 80 percent of the populations lives below the poverty line, was devastated by a recent 22-day war between Israel and Hamas, launched by Israel after a cease-fire broke down and Hamas rockets rained down over Israeli towns.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/02/AR2009030200597.html?hpid%3Dmoreheadlines&sub=AR

---

Clinton Shakes Syria's Hand

Source: CBS

Posted by George Baghdadi

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shook hands with her Syrian counterpart Monday as the two attended a conference in Egypt on rebuilding the Gaza Strip.

The simple handshake before lunch was the highest-level contact between the two countries in years.

It was clear that the gesture had been arrangement, as Foreign Minister Walid Muallem (seen at left in a file photo) chose the first table in the banquet hall in the resort town of Sharm el-Sheik. He sat there and waited. Clinton seemed to head straight over to shake hands with him.

The pair of senior diplomats stood for a couple of minutes as Clinton introduced Muallem to her team, including George Mitchell, the new U.S. Mideast envoy — who excluded Damascus from his first trip to the region a couple weeks ago.

The handshake came after weeks of slowly-building diplomacy between the two nations — sparked by the change of power in Washington.

Read More: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/03/02/world/worldwatch/entry4837753.shtml

[onehandle]

1. And the Clinton haters are quiet.

They'll ignore this for...

Today...? Let's say taser stories.

[rateyes]

2. Glad to see Hillary doing a good job for the Obama administration

and the American people.

[NOW tense]

3. Other Secretary of State Clinton quote

"For the Israelis that means showing the Palestinians that there are benefits to negotiating if their goal is control of their own destiny and to live in peace and dignity in an economically viable state," Clinton said.

from the Washington Post Article in link above.

[ohio2007]

4. "Hamas will never agree to sit in a government that recognizes Israel," but Hillary $ay$ ye$ we can

read the fine print:

On Friday, Clinton was quoted as saying that the Egyptian-brokered efforts to bring about reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah will only work if the group recognizes Israel.

snip

snip
Earlier Saturday, Hamas also rejected a call by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the Islamic group to recognize the state of Israel, and said her request was unacceptable to the Palestinians.


Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan said that the group will not recognize Israel nor comply with the conditions set by the Quartet,
snip

However, while Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that a national unity government with Hamas must support a two-state solution, a Hamas official said it would "never agree to sit in a government that recognizes Israel."

snip
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1235410737803

throw money at the problem.....cuz it buys hudna

Nobody cares to mention or read into the charter of Hamas in these articles. Why is that ?