(Washington Post) Dana Milbank - At the AIPAC policy conference on Monday, the crowd stood to applaud the arrival of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, but with little of their past enthusiasm. As Clinton defended her criticism of Israel, the crowd was still and quiet. During her primary fight against Barack Obama, Clinton counted many in the room as part of her core constituency, but now she was part of an administration they didn't entirely trust. When she asserted that "the Obama administration has worked to promote Israel's security and long-term success," there was only silence in the room. Both Israel and the Palestinians, she said, "must confront the reality that the status quo of the last decade has not produced long-term security or served their interests, nor has it served the interests of the United States." There was no applause. It remained quiet as she called for a settlement "based on the '67 lines with agreed swaps" of territory. "It is our devotion to this outcome, two states for two peoples secure and at peace, that led us to condemn the announcement of plans for new construction in East Jerusalem," she said. In the audience, the majority just sat and stared at their old friend.
2010-03-23 08:03:15Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive