Clinton: U.S.-Israeli ties must return to 'constructive footing'

Hillary Clinton says the relationship between the United States and Israel should return to a “constructive footing,” including a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians, according to reports of comments she made Sunday.

“Secretary Clinton thinks we need to all work together to return the special U.S.-Israel relationship to constructive footing, to get back to basic shared concerns and interests, including a two-state solution pursued through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians,” said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, citing the former secretary of state’s telephone discussion with the group. “We must ensure that Israel never becomes a partisan issue.”


Clinton’s comments on Israel are her first on the two countries’ relationship since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection on March 17, according to The New York Times.

The remarks come amid troubled times for the relationship between the two countries, as President Barack Obama and his administration have come out strongly against Netanyahu’s pre-election comments, when he urged supporters to vote because Israeli Arabs were voting in “droves” and said a two-state solution was off the table.

Following the election, Netanyahu apologized for the “droves” comment, and walked back his comments about the peace process, saying he was misunderstood.

On Sunday, the Israeli government released a video of Netanyahu standing alongside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and urging senators to question an emerging deal between Iran six world powers. The agreement “paves Iran’s way to the bomb,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu also said he had telephoned Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and that the two Senate leaders had expressed “strong and continuing bipartisan support for Israel.”

“I want to assure all Israeli’s that the U.S.-Israel relationship is still — no matter what’s been said in recent weeks — in very very strong shape, on a bipartisan basis in the U.S. Congress,” McConnell said in the video.