From today’s daily press briefing with State Department spokesperson Ian Kelly:
QUESTION: George Mitchell yesterday, using the phrase “Jewish state,” he said, “Palestinian state living in peace side-by-side with Jewish state.” Was that a slip of the tongue, or does the word “Jewish” signal a new departure for the Obama Administration in dealing with Israel-Palestine? And that being what it is, as he said it, what does it mean as far as the Obama Administration is concerned for Palestinians living inside Israel?
MR. KELLY: Well, Secretary Clinton said in March during her meeting with Foreign Minister Livni that both she and President Obama are committed to Israel’s security and to its democracy as a Jewish state. What Senator Mitchell said is not – does not represent any kind of new policy. We believe that Israel is a pluralistic democracy that guarantees the rights of all its citizens, Jewish and non-Jewish alike.
As the President has said, we’re going to do everything that we can to be constructive, effective partners in this process. And the President has reiterated to Prime Minister Netanyahu that the framework of the Roadmap can advance the interests of Israel, the Palestinian people, and the United States. And our position remains that the question of Palestinian refugees is one to be decided between the parties of the permanent status negotiations.
QUESTION: But on the issue of Arab Israelis, you’re saying that their rights as Israeli citizens are guaranteed on an equal footing with their Jewish counterparts.
MR. KELLY: Right.
QUESTION: Arab Israelis say that precisely, they’re not treated as their Jewish counterparts; they’re treated as second class citizens. Now within that appellation that both Clinton and Mitchell are talking about when they refer to the Jewish state, what is the angle on those rights, the rights of Israeli – Arab Israelis within a final settlement?
MR. KELLY: Well, as I said before, we believe that Israel is a pluralistic democracy, and its citizens, both Jewish and non-Jewish, enjoy the same full rights as citizens.
Mr. Kelly, just because you believe it doesn’t make it so. That being said, putting equal rights on the agenda would be a great step in the right direction for the Obama Administration. Also, kudos who whomever the mysterious questioner was in this exchange.
