WHAT IS THIS SUPPOSED TO MEAN: IS IT A FREUDIAN SLIP? "NATURAL GROWTH: "MARRIAGES AND DEATHS", A MAJOR IMPEDIMENT TO A PEACE AGREEMENT?? WHERE IS: "MARRIAGES AND BIRTHS"??

Clinton Says Israeli Position on Settlements Likely to Soften

June 17 (Bloomberg) -- Israeli opposition to a complete freeze of settlement activity in the West Bank is likely to evolve into a stance that will lead to creation of a Palestinian state, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

"If one looks at Israel's history, there have been prime ministers going back to the beginning of its statehood who have staked out positions which have changed over time," Clinton told reporters in Washington today after meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

Clinton said that through past negotiations, Israeli leaders "have moved to positions they never would have thought they could have advocated."

U.S. officials are trying to lay the foundations for talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority as part of a broader regional peace effort.

The U.S. special envoy for the region, former Senator George Mitchell, said yesterday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's acceptance of Palestinian statehood and the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program have created a "realistic" chance for Middle East peace.

Netanyahu said in a June 14 speech that a Palestinian state would have to be demilitarized and its establishment contingent on its recognition of Israel as a Jewish homeland and Jerusalem remaining the capital of Israel.

Clinton predicted a compromise on settlements was possible after Lieberman said his government "cannot accept" the principle of an absolute freeze.

"We must keep natural growth," he said, referring to marriages and deaths that compel changes in West Bank settlements that are a major impediment to a peace agreement with the Palestinians and Arab nations in the region.

Anonymous commented:

Sounds like Clinton slipped, leaking foreknowledge of a plan to hit the settlements
with deaths, to "SOFTEN" them up!


The question is, who slipped? According to Arutz7, a source that cannot be accused of antisemitism, this is what was said:

Lieberman to Clinton: No Settlement Freeze
Sivan 26, 5769, 18 June 09 03:26

(IsraelNN.com) Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman held his first talks with U.S. counterpart Hillary Clinton on Wednesday and voiced Israel’s refusal to freeze settlements. At a joint press conference following his talks with Clinton, the foreign minister told reporters that Israel did not have "any intention to change the demographic balance" of Judea and Samaria, but "as in any place, babies are born, people get married, some pass away and we cannot accept this vision about an absolutely complete freezing of settlements.”

Lieberman said that natural growth must be allowed to continue. "This approach is very clear and also we had some understandings with the previous administration (of George W. Bush) and we try to keep this direction," he said. Clinton stuck by early statements that the current U.S. administration opposes any kind of settlement activity. "As President Obama, Senator (George) Mitchell and I have said, we want to see a stop to the settlements," Clinton said.

So the question is, who had soap bubbles and oil under their shoes? Was it Clinton, or was it the journalist?

And by the way, it was not "he said", it was "she said". So the writer is not only antisemitic, but a bad reporter as well. So much for Bloomberg news accuracy!