Official: Rightist government may hurt US-Israel relations
'If Clinton did not realize that the process launched at Annapolis was dead before her current trip to the Middle East, she will be made aware of this during her talks with Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials,' source in Jerusalem says
"Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu's views on the Mideast peace process and the narrow right-wing government he is about to establish will undoubtedly harm Israel's relations with the US," a senior political official told Ynet Monday night shortly after Hillary Clinton landed at Ben-Gurion Airport to begin her first visit to Israel and the West Bank as US secretary of state.
"If Clinton did not realize that the process launched at Annapolis was dead before her current trip to the Middle East, she will be made aware of this during her talks with Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials, or during her meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas," the source said.
"Netanyahu and his associates still live in the era of Palestinian autonomy. Clinton does not need (Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert or (Foreign Minister Tzipi) Livni to tell her that Bibi opposes a two-state solution."
It appears that Clinton does not intend to apply any pressure on Netanyahu during her visit due to the fact that the Likud leader is immersed in the negotiations to forge a new coalition. Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Washington shortly after his government is established.
Sources close to Netanyahu said he intends to tell Clinton that he plans to continue the dialogue with the Palestinian Authority and provide economic aid to moderate Palestinian elements.
"Netanyahu will make it clear to Clinton that in the framework of a final agreement he will be opposed to any alliance between the Palestinians and Iran and will object to the formation of a Palestinian army," a senior aide said. "He will tell her that while he does not favor diplomatic stalemate, he will not commit to the Annapolis process and the two-state principle."
Clinton's scheduled meeting with President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem Tuesday morning will be followed by talks with Livni, after which a joint press conference will be held at the foreign minister's office. Later in the day the US secretary of state will meet with Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and then have dinner with Olmert at his official residence in the capital. She will visit the West Bank on Wednesday.
