sorry for the delayed response everyone, but no, i did not forget
NEW YORK (July 26, 2000 10:26 p.m. EDT
http://www.nandotimes.com) - Hillary Rodham Clinton said U.S. aid to the Palestinians should be cut off if they unilaterally declare statehood before a peace agreement is reached with Israel.
"It must be clear that any unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood would be entirely unacceptable and should be met with a cutoff of United States assistance," she said in a statement released after the Camp David peace talks collapsed Tuesday.
The New York Senate candidate's position appeared to go beyond what President Clinton has said in urging the Israelis and the Palestinians to keep trying to reach an agreement.
Asked at a Wednesday news conference if she thought she was going beyond the position of her husband's administration, she said: "I may be. It's what I believe. ... Aid should be conditional on people acting in a way that leads to a permanent and lasting peace."
A trilateral statement from the United States, Israel and the Palestinians on the Camp David summit said that both sides "understand the importance of avoiding unilateral actions," but Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has threatened to declare statehood if no agreement is reached by Sept. 13.
The first lady praised Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak while saying little about Arafat.
"I believe Prime Minister Barak showed enormous courage, vision and extraordinary commitment to these peace talks," she said.
The first lady is seeking to shore up her pro-Israel credentials in New York, where Jews make up 12 percent of the electorate. Polls show about 15 percent of them are undecided about whether to support her or her Republican opponent, Long Island Congressman Rick Lazio.
Lazio also favors cutting off Palestinian aid if statehood is unilaterally declared. He previously cosponsored legislation recommending the same.
The Clinton Senate campaign has been involved in a number of flaps involving Jewish issues, including the meeting last year between the first lady and Yasser Arafat's wife that resulted in their much-publicized kiss.