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12/13/2005:

"Clinton praises Israel as Mideast ally"

NEW YORK — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton last night called Israel a beacon of democracy in the Middle East, supported its need for a security barrier and called on the Palestinian Authority to crack down on the terrorism that threatens both Israel and the Palestinians' hope for a brighter future.

Clinton's strong pro-Israel speech came before a particularly receptive audience, more than 700 attendees at Yeshiva University's 81st annual Hanukkah Dinner and Convocation at the Waldorf-Astoria, where she was the keynote speaker after receiving an honorary degree. She said the futures of both the United States and Israel are intertwined, with "bonds forged in a common struggle for human rights, democracy and freedom."

"That bond is rooted in fundamental beliefs and values about the dignity of men and women and the right to live without fear or repression," Clinton said. "Israel is not only our ally; it is a beacon of what a democracy can and should be."
thejournalnews.com

EU shelves East Jerusalem report over fear of alienating Israel

A controversial report that accuses Israel of rushing to annexe Arab areas of East Jerusalem was shelved by European foreign ministers in Brussels yesterday out of sensitivity to Israel.

Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, persuaded ministers to drop the report when he warned that Europe's influence over Israel would be severely undermined if it were to be published.

The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, whose diplomats in East Jerusalem drafted the report as part of Britain's EU presidency, announced the climbdown at a meeting of EU foreign ministers. "The political landscape has altered within Israel - there is a general election in a few months time," he said of Ariel Sharon's decision to form a new political party ahead of elections on March 28. "So we thought it was appropriate not to endorse or to publish the document, but instead to continue to make representations about our concerns in the normal way."