RNC Research

Surrounding Tensions With Israel, Clinton Told A Prominent Jewish Leaders’ Representative “That She Wanted To Put The Relationship Between The United States And Israel Back On ‘Constructive Footing.’” “Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told a representative of a group of prominent Jewish leaders on Sunday that she wanted to put the relationship between the United States and Israel back on ‘constructive footing,’ the representative said. Mrs. Clinton’s comments, made in a phone call to Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, contrasted in tone from recent remarks by members of the Obama administration, who have publicly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel amid tensions over a nuclear deal with Iran and comments Mr. Netanyahu made in the final days of his re-election campaign this month.” (Maggie Haberman, “Clinton Wants To Improve Ties With Israel,” The New York Times, 3/29/15)

But Clinton Has A Long Record Of Criticizing Israel With A Surprising “Fervor”

In 2014, Clinton Admitted That She Was “Often The Designated Yeller” When Working With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. ZAKARIA: “You say you had a complicated, and it sounded like a difficult relationship with him.” CLINTON: “Well, I have to say, I’ve known Bibi a long time. And I have a very good relationship with him, in part because we can yell at each other and we do. And I was often the designated yeller. Something would happen, a new settlement announcement would come and I would call him up, “What are you doing, you’ve got to stop this.” (CNN Interview With Hillary Clinton, 7/27/14)

Clinton, 2012: “[I]’m Not Making Excuses For The Missed Opportunities Of The Israelis, Or The Lack Of Generosity, The Lack Of Empathy That I Think Goes Hand-In-Hand With The Suspicion.” CLINTON: “So, look, I’m not making excuses for the missed opportunities of the Israelis, or the lack of generosity, the lack of empathy that I think goes hand-in-hand with the suspicion. So, yes, there is more that the Israelis need to do to really demonstrate that they do understand the pain of an oppressed people in their minds, and they want to figure out, within the bounds of security and a Jewish democratic state, what can be accomplished.” (Hillary Clinton, Remarks At The Saban Center For Middle East Policy 2012 Saban Forum Opening Gala Dinner, Washington, D.C., 11/30/12)

Clinton Was “Irate” When She Called Netanyahu After Israel Announced New Settlements During A 2010 Visit By Vice President Biden. “In fact, it was Mr. Biden who traveled to Israel that year, in what ended up being a disastrous trip in which the Israeli government announced new settlements just before his meeting with Mr. Netanyahu, prompting a sharp response from the Obama administration that included an irate 45-minute telephone call from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Mr. Netanyahu.” (Helene Cooper, “Obama Turns To Biden To Reassure Jewish Voters, And Get Them To Contribute, Too,” The New York Times, 9/30/11)

• Clinton Offered A “Stinging Rebuke” To Netanyahu. “Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday     delivered a stinging rebuke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu     for his government’s announcement this week of new Jewish housing in east     Jerusalem, calling it ‘a deeply negative signal’ for the Mideast peace     process and ties with the U.S.” (Matthew     Lee, “Clinton Slams Israel’s Settlement Plans: ‘Deeply Negative Signal,’” The Associated Press, 3/12/10)

• According To The State     Department, Clinton Told Netanyahu That The Announcement Of New     Settlements Was “A Deeply Negative Signal.” “Clinton called Netanyahu ‘to make clear the United     States considered the announcement a deeply negative signal about Israel’s     approach to the bilateral relationship and counter to the spirit of the     vice president’s trip,’ Crowley said. Clinton, he said, emphasized that     ‘this action had undermined trust and confidence in the peace process and     in America’s interests.’” (Glenn     Kessler, “Clinton Rebukes Israel Over East Jerusalem Plans, Cites Damage     To Bilateral Ties,” The Washington Post, 3/13/10)

In A 2010 Speech Before AIPAC, Clinton Said Israeli Settlement Activity Undermined Trust Between The U.S. And Israel. “Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said before the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in Washington Monday that Israeli settlement activity in occupied Arab lands – East Jerusalem and the West Bank – undermines trust between the two allies and makes the US role in the peace process more difficult. Her words follow Mr. Netanyahu’s assertion Sunday that Israel would not cease all settlement construction in Jerusalem, which it claims as its capital.” (Howard LaFranchi, “Hillary Clinton To AIPAC: New Israeli Settlements Complicate US Goals On Iran,” The Christian Science Monitor, 3/22/10)

In November 2009, The State Department Found Israel’s Plans To Construct 900 New Housing Units In East Jerusalem “Dismaying” Stating “We Object To This, And We Object To Other Israeli Practices In Jerusalem Related To Housing.” QUESTION: “On the peace process, Israel has approved today the construction of 900 new housing units in East Jerusalem. How do you view this approval at this specific time?” STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN IAN KELLY: “Well, I think, Michel, you’ve heard us say many times that we believe that neither party should engage in any kind of actions that could unilaterally preempt or appear to preempt negotiations. And I think that we find the Jerusalem Planning Committee’s decision to move forward on the approval of the – approval process for the expansion of Gilo in Jerusalem as dismaying. This is at a time when we’re working to re-launch negotiations, and we believe that these actions make it more difficult for our efforts to succeed. So we object to this, and we object to other Israeli practices in Jerusalem related to housing, including the continuing pattern of evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes.” (State Department Press Briefing, 11/17/09)

Following The White House’s Order To Demand An End To New Settlements, Clinton Criticized The Israeli Constructions “With A Fervor That Surprised Mr. Obama’s Adviser’s.” “Mrs. Clinton’s marching orders from the White House were to demand that Israel cease the building of Jewish settlements in the West Bank as a way to lure the Palestinians into talks, and she did so with a fervor that surprised Mr. Obama’s advisers. But they had conceived the strategy, and Mrs. Clinton privately had qualms with it, which proved well founded.” (Mark Landler and Amy Chozick, “Hillary Clinton Struggles To Define A Legacy In Progress,” The New York Times, 4/16/14)