Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice commend Trump on Israel-Hamas peace deal, focus on path ahead

Two former secretaries of state, Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice, on Friday praised the Trump administration’s success in reaching a Center East peace deal. Each of the previous prime U.S. diplomats are nonetheless cautiously watching to see how the early phases play out however expressed some optimism about its prospects.

Clinton and Rice joined CBS Information for an interview with CBS Information senior correspondent Norah O’Donnell on Friday to debate the Israel-Hamas peace plan brokered by President Trump as the primary stage of the deal takes form. 

The dialog befell two days after the signing of a landmark deal during which Hamas agreed to launch all remaining hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel pledged to withdraw its army from components of the Gaza Strip. Mr. Trump has known as the deal the “first section” of a complete 20-point plan to finish the two-year-long Israel-Hamas struggle. The president plans to journey to the Center East as quickly as this weekend, and mentioned he hopes to be current for the return of the hostages. 

“I actually commend President Trump and his administration, in addition to Arab leaders within the area for making the dedication to the 20-point plan and seeing a path ahead for what’s typically known as the day after,” Clinton informed O’Donnell. 

O’Donnell requested Rice if she is assured that is the tip of the struggle. 

“Nobody may be utterly assured, given the historical past of the Center East,” Rice replied, however she added that there are good causes to be optimistic. 

Rice and Clinton each mentioned the Israelis and Palestinians should first get by means of this primary section of the deal — and that also is not sure. 

“That is not self-evident,” Clinton mentioned. It will take quite a lot of work. It will take quite a lot of coordination.”

One of many difficulties in reaching an enduring peace within the Center East is getting numerous events on board, however the truth that there is a broader coalition of Center Jap states concerned on this settlement is an effective signal, Rice mentioned. 

“The one piece that I am most involved about is, how do you get from a sort of transitional authority of some form, a very consultant Palestinian authority?” Rice requested. “The Palestinian authority, which controls the West Financial institution, misplaced management of Gaza after 2006, has not likely been reformed in a very long time. And it wants reform. It wants youthful blood.”

Clinton known as Israel’s assault on Hamas leaders in Qatar’s capital of Doha in September “unwell suggested” and a “strategic error” that gave Mr. Trump’s negotiators a gap. 

“That offered a gap for each President Trump and his representatives to marshal the entire regional powers, together with, in fact, Qatar, but additionally to make it clear to Israel, ‘No, that is now sufficient. We can’t proceed this. This battle wants to finish, and we have to maneuver on.'”

Clinton mentioned of U.S. negotiators, “They took benefit of a gap that was obtainable and have been in a position to achieve success.”

Rice steered a two-state answer is not more likely to be possible proper now, however she mentioned there are issues the Palestinians can do to organize for a future state. Palestinians are going to want to insist on reforms themselves, she mentioned. 

“They have to begin to acknowledge that Israel goes to exist, and it should be part of this Center East,” Rice mentioned. “And which means, change the teachings that you just educate your children concerning the state of Israel. Cease placing up maps that (say) the state of Israel would not exist. Do not create one other technology of Palestinians who imagine that by some means the resistance is the best way to peace and safety.”

Clinton mentioned the Israeli settlement exercise within the West Financial institution that has been inspired by the Israeli authorities “has to stop.”

Clinton mentioned the work of rebuilding Gaza can be arduous, laborious and intensive, and she or he known as on the U.S. and worldwide neighborhood to commit collectively to deliver peace to the Center East.

“Let’s now help this course of and convey it collectively, not simply in a nonpartisan approach in our personal nation, however actually internationally as an amazing world dedication to attempt to deliver peace, safety, stability and a greater future to the Center East,” Clinton mentioned. 

The deal is anticipated to permit dozens of hostages to return to their households on Monday or Tuesday, ending a two-year ordeal that started with Hamas’ assault on southern Israel. It might  additionally provide a reprieve to tens of millions of residents of the Gaza Strip who’ve confronted an intense and almost uninterrupted two-year bombardment and floor invasion by Israel’s army. 

Some questions stay, nonetheless. Mr. Trump’s 20-point peace plan requires Israel to withdraw from a lot of the Gaza Strip in phases, however the actual cadence of these withdrawals is not clear. It additionally requires management of Gaza to be handed over to a still-unformed “technocratic” committee that doesn’t embrace Hamas and — at the very least for now — additionally leaves out the Palestinian Authority. The deal acknowledges an impartial Palestinian state as “the aspiration of the Palestinian folks,” but it surely’s unclear if or when discussions on statehood might happen.

The Israeli-Palestinian battle has vexed each U.S. administration in latest historical past — together with the 2 that Friday’s company labored in. Clinton pressed for a two-state answer  — however Obama struggled with a cold relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a interval that additionally noticed two smaller wars in Gaza. Rice additionally championed a two-state answer and made in depth efforts within the final years of the Bush administration to assist negotiate peace. 

However partially as a result of Ohlmert and Abbas have been every quick on the political help essential to make an enduring deal, the battle continued. One widespread critique of previous administrations is that they haven’t made ample use of U.S. leverage over Israel, to stress it to make concessions. Strain on the Netanyahu authorities from President Trump seems to have been a essential think about bringing about this peace deal now.