The statements and condemnations of the Palestinian Authority, which is insisting the U.S. change its stance regarding a settlement freeze, appear to have paid off.
In Israel on Saturday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stance on limiting settlement construction and calling for a resumption of negotiations with the Palestinians.
However, in Morocco Monday, she sought to tone down her statements.
"Israel has done a few things [to renew peace talks], but they need to do much more," Clinton said in Marrakesh ahead of a meeting with Arab ministers about the peace process.
"The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements," she said. However, Israel is "expressing a willingness to restrain settlement activity. They will build no new settlements, expropriate no land, allow no new construction, or approvals."
"This offer falls far short of what we would characterize as our position or what our preference would be. But if it is acted upon, it will be an unprecedented restriction on settlements and would have a significant and meaningful effect on restraining their growth," Clinton said, reading from a written statement.
She made these statements after Arab ministers said the Arab world was disappointed that not enough was being done to pressure Israel to freeze settlement construction.
Her earlier praise for Israel was condemned by the Arab leadership. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa warned that U.S. President Barack Obama's desire to resume peace talks quickly may result in failure regarding the settlements.
Clinton praised Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for having "shown leadership and determination on this issue" and calling on Israel to "reciprocate."
During her visit to Israel, Clinton told a press conference that Netanyahu's proposed policy of restraint regarding settlement construction was "unprecedented." She also stressed that the issue of the settlements had never been put forth as a precondition for resuming negotiations.
Palestinians maintain that Clinton is wrong on this matter.
However, in spite of Clinton's reversal, friction between the Palestinian Authority and the U.S. appears to be worsening. On Sunday, Abbas said the U.S. administration is not offering anything new that can bring about a change in the peace process.
Speaking to the Arabic language television network Al-Arabiya, Abbas described the U.S. stance on a settlement freeze as "illogical." Even though he is well known for his careful statements, Abbas has been unprecedented in his criticism of Washington.
But the U.S. administration should be more concerned with the criticism in the Arab world at large, and not solely from the Palestinians. Since his historic speech at Cairo University, Obama has quickly lost points in Arab public opinion.
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