Secretary of State John F. Kerry delivered frank remarks on the Middle East peace process at the State Department on Wednesday. Here are excerpts from his speech:
On “trends on the ground”:
“The truth is that trends on the ground – violence, terrorism, incitement, settlement expansion and the seemingly endless occupation – are destroying hopes for peace on both sides and increasingly cementing an irreversible one-state reality that most people do not actually want.”
On accusations that the United States was conspiring against Israel:
“We also strongly reject the notion that somehow the United States was the driving force behind this resolution” – a reference to a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlement activity that the United States declined to veto.
On Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
“In literally hundreds of conversations with Prime Minister Netanyahu, I have made clear that continued settlement activity would only increase pressure for an international response.”
On the next U.S. administration:
“President Obama and I know that the incoming administration has signaled that they may take a different path, and even suggested breaking from long-standing U.S. policies on settlements, Jerusalem – and the possibility of the two-state solution. That is for them to decide. . . . But we cannot – in good conscience – do nothing, and say nothing, when we see the hope of peace slipping away.”
On attacks against Israelis:
“The most recent wave of Palestinian violence has included hundreds of terrorist attacks in the past year, including stabbings, shootings, vehicular attacks and bombings, many by individuals who have been radicalized by social media.”
On Hamas:
“Most troubling of all, Hamas continues to pursue an extremist agenda: They refuse to accept Israel’s very right to exist. They have a one-state vision of their own: All of the land is Palestine.”
On settler outposts:
“Among the most troubling illustrations of this point has been the proliferation of settler outposts that are illegal under Israel’s own laws. They are often located on private Palestinian land and strategically placed to make two states impossible.”
On “the one-state path”:
“One thing we do know: If Israel goes down the one-state path, it will never have true peace with the rest of the Arab world, and I can say that with certainty.”
On Iran:
“The Arab countries have made clear that they will not make peace with Israel without resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – that’s not where their loyalties or their politics are. But there is something new here. Common interests in countering Iran’s destabilizing activities and fighting extremists, as well as diversifying their economies, have created real possibilities.”
On the history of the U.S. position:
“It’s important to remember that every U.S. administration – Republican and Democratic – has opposed settlements as contrary to the prospects for peace.”
On direct negotiations:
“We all understand that a final-status agreement can only be achieved through direct negotiations between the parties, because peace cannot be imposed. . . . I believe the negotiations did not fail because the gaps were too wide – but because the level of trust was too low.”
On settlement expansion:
“Let’s be clear: Settlement expansion has nothing to do with Israel’s security; many settlements actually increase the security burden on the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]. And leaders of the settler movement are motivated by ideological imperatives that entirely ignore legitimate Palestinian aspirations.”
(c) 2016, The Washington Post · Tiffany Harness, Julie Vitkovskaya
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8 Responses
What, precisely, was the point in providing this article that is full of lies, distortions, and clichés as one would expect from a badly educated university adjunct professor for whom left-wing bromides function as fashion statements and status assertion?
As Bruce Thornton eloquently points out:
“Whether cold calculations of interest or irrational ideological compulsions and prejudices, none of these reasons for demonizing Israel is founded on coherent principle, consistent standards of judgment, or even historical fact. The conflict is not about “settlements” or “check-points” or “national aspirations.” It’s about Islamic-sanctioned Jew hatred, and Arab humiliation and resentment of a handful of refugee Jews who developed lands bare of resources into a nation more militarily powerful and economically successful than their Arab neighbors. No “two-state solution” is going to change these ancient and deep-seated religious beliefs and psychological wounds.”
When are you going to post an article that does similar justice to the rational arguments of Prime Minister Natanyahu, and most of the sane talking heads who are speaking out about this week’s Obama/Kerry atrocity?
Mr. Kerry, I’m sure you’re trying your best to do the right thing. But you just don’t know the neighborhood. Did you notice what happened to Gaza? Judea and Shomron could easily turn into another Gaza. That’s where things are holding.
But reading your lovely speech I get the idea if Israel could just restrain those gung-ho settlers, peace is right around the corner and the Palestinians would start working on creating a viable state, not rocket factories.
Settlement freezes on the contrary,just promote continued intransigence and indeed, just increase Arab unrealistic demands.There are already 2″Palestinian”states -Jordan and Gaza.Jordan has abundant unused land.We Jews made the desert flower with a little effort and the EU an
,U.S.and UN monies spent there ,Jordan could accommodate millions of Arabs who don’t want to be around Jews.
The article is from the Washington Prust, and should be ignored.
When the Palestinians want a two state solution, they will get one. They were offered it in 1947, negotiations were offered in 1967, they were again offered in Camp David, Taba etc etc etc. THEY want a ONE state solution … a Palestinian one. Let them show they want to talk and the settlements will become a non issue. Israel is quite prepared to schlep the people out of lands it wants the Palestinians to have. (gaza 2005).
Kerry was yabbling about the amount of money Israel received from the US for security and protect from missiles and bombs slamming into Israel..
My question to Kerry is, who are the once aiming those missiles etc into Israel that Israel needs to defend itself?
In my view he is really contradicting himself and highly doubt that this is the view of the United States of America.. It’s probably review of Barack Hussein Obama and his panel..
This guy is still in dreamworld.
I took away the message to switch brands from Heintz.