Secretary of State Hillary Clinton vowed to rekindle efforts to
attain a “comprehensive peace” in the Middle East ahead of a meeting
Tuesday evening with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Clinton arrived in Jerusalem late Tuesday to help broker a ceasefire
between Israel and Hamas and avoid a ground invasion of the
densely packed coastal strip. She is scheduled to meet with Palestinian
Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on
Wednesday.
In a statement delivered alongside Netanyahu,
Clinton said Obama had sent her to deliver the “very clear message” that
“America's commitment to Israel's security is rock-solid and
unwavering.”
But she also acknowledged that the cycle of violence can only end with a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
“In the end,” Clinton said, “there is no substitute for security and for a just and lasting peace. And the current crisis certainly focuses us on the urgency of this broader goal.
Read more on The Hill's Global Affairs blog.
