J Street Applauds Secretary Clinton’s Remarks At AIPAC

March 22, 2010

J Street Executive Director Jeremy Ben-Ami issued the following statement in response to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Conference in Washington, DC today:

“J Street applauds Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s thoughtful remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) today. The Secretary made an eloquent and challenging call for pressing forward with urgency toward a negotiated two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – calling the status quo “unsustainable.” She re-affirmed the strength of the US-Israel friendship and the “rock solid” U.S. commitment to Israel’s security, but made clear that without a change of course, there is danger ahead both to Israel’s future as a Jewish democratic home and to American interests in the region and around the world. As a long time friend of Israel, Secretary Clinton is perfectly positioned to assess the state of the myriad threats facing our ally Israel – whether it be Iran’s nuclear program, rocket fire targeting Israeli civilians, or the urgent need to achieve a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this context, J Street stands with Secretary Clinton’s clear defense of the Obama Administration’s recent actions in pursuit of a two-state solution, stating that “our credibility in this process depends in part on our willingness to praise both sides when they are courageous, and when we don’t agree to say so, and say so unequivocally.” We echo the Secretary’s view that both sides “must refrain from unilateral statements and actions that undermine the process or prejudice the outcome of talks” and praise her for challenging all parties to take the necessary risks for peace.”