Clinton Denies Bush Agreement With Israel on Settlements

US makes it clear that Iran should not have nuclear weapons but yet never mentions that Israel has nuclear weapons. European nations note that contradiction. When will the US give Israel the same ultimatums. Israel continues settlements and we don't put sanctions on Israel!

To be successful in any negotiation, the broker must be fair to both the parties. Here, the broker sides almost 100% with one side and almost 0% with the other. So, the negotiation has failed so far and will continue to fail until the unfair trend on the part of the US continues. Muslim (arab) countries were bombed and citizens of those countries were brutally murdered by the hundreds of thousands and the Israelis cannot be even threatened with sanctions to make up comply with basic agreements? Muslims didn't kill 6 million Jews so they don't know why they were made to pay for it permanently. No actions in the world would make up for that ever!

Ya these settlements and their ongoing expansions are a major obstacle to peace. The myriad of checkpoints throughout the occupied territories to protect these settlements is also a nightmare for the Palestinians. I can't believe it has taken this long to address this firmly.

Why is the US not addressing the continued arab "palestinian" occupation of the land of Israel? History shows that in 3,000 years only two independent nations existed in the "west bank", Israel and Judah. Now their Jewish and Israeli descendants are not supposed to live in their homeland? This is outrageous. The arabs arrived from their own homeland of Saudi Arabia, and Trans Jordan is one state of the 2-state solution, finalized in the 1994 treaty.

With people continuing to lose their jobs, health insurance, homes, etc., this story is of paramount importance to our existence.

It's really becoming tiresome hearing about pressuring Israel to give up more land. Everyone needs to get the facts straight, as George Wills did today. It's Israel's land, the Palestinians are being used to pressure Israel by the Moslem world; and how would we feel if another world dominating power came to the U.S. and said "you have to give up California to Spain, the Lousiana Purchase to France, New Mexico territory to Mexico and New York (specifically NYC to the Dutch." Doesn't make much sense does it?

Ronald - Since that is your reasoning, then the American Indians have the sole claim to the United States. Think about it.

Just some food for thought, Nelson Mandela at one point was considered a terrorist, and the ANC a terrorist group.

Israel needs to pull back to pre-1967 borders. If not, the arab birth rate and closing parity in weapons will seal Israel's fate.

The posting here are increasingly shrill. Perhaps they see the 'writing on the wall'? Send the settlers home to Williamsburg and Crown Heights, and let the Palestinians have their land back. As Obama said, Jerusalem should be an international secular city, like Geneva - let's make it UN headquarters in the ME - and make the Israelis give up those nuclear arms - they're too paranoid and trigger happy to be trusted as grownups.

An international city, like Geneva? I've been to Geneva, and I can tell you that the border guards who looked at my passport were Swiss.

Is Obama now going to micro-manage Israel, as well as GM, Chrysler and AIG? Looks like the only place on earth that they are building homes is on the West Back. Maybe USA should be investing, rather than complain.

And guess what? The whole Israel-Palestine thing is so much BS. If Israel disappeared tomorrow, it would make no difference whatsover in Arabia. The "peaceful" Muslims of Arabia would continue to butcher each other, as they always have, and as they always will.

The only difference is that without Israel, a nuclear-powered Iran would become the new Ottoman empire. And the USA wouldn't be able to do squat, because they have the oil and the money.

The only country capable of stopping Iran is tiny Israel. Israel has a population of 6 million, versus Iran's 66 million. But with Iraq weak, nobody else can limit Iran's emerging nuclear power.