C’è stata una conversazione telefonica lunga (ben 43 minuti) e dura tra Hillary Rodham Clinton e il premier israeliano Benjamin Netanyahu. Oggetto: lo schiaffo al vicepresidente Joe Biden durante la sua visita in Israele, a Gerusalemme, e nei Territori Palestinesi Occupati. L’annuncio dei 1600 appartamenti nell’insediamento di Ramat Shlomo è stato definito del segretario di stato USA “insulting”. Una parola pronunciata dall’esponente del governo americano più vicina alle posizioni israeliane.
“The announcement of the settlements on the very day that the vice president was there was insulting,” Clinton said in an interview with CNN Friday. “It was just really a very unfortunate and difficult moment for everyone, the U.S., our vice president who had gone to reassert America’s strong support for Israeli security, and I regret deeply that that occurred and made that view known.”
Clinton called “to make clear that the United States considered the announcement to be a deeply negative signal about Israel’s approach to the bilateral relationship and counter to the spirit of the vice president’s trip,” State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters.
“The secretary said she could not understand how this happened, particularly in light of the United States’ strong commitment to Israel’s security and she made clear that the Israeli government needed to demonstrate not just through words but through specific actions that they are committed to this relationship and to the peace process,” he said.