Clinton backs Israel's security wall, but wants Gaza withdrawal

By FRAN O'SULLIVAN

Bill Clinton backs Israel's controversial wall, despite an International Court of Justice decision that the barrier is an impediment to peace. But he also wants Israel to withdraw from Gaza and from more of the West Bank as a prelude to peace negotiations.

The drive for a lasting peace settlement in the Middle East was a major thrust of Clinton's foreign policy and remains a personal preoccupation. He believes a settlement "will do more to take the sting out of terrorism than anything else we can do".

In London this week, he said: "To say that they can't build it is saying, 'This is so offensive that international law requires Israel to continue to let innocent people be blown up'. Not only does this mean more Israeli deaths, it means more Palestinian deaths."

Clinton acknowledged that the Israeli Supreme Court had also urged the Sharon Government to take care where it erected the wall so that it did not unduly disrupt Palestinian lives. "On the other hand my view is that this wall will save lives ... that means fewer Palestinians as well as fewer Israelis will die. That's my view. I'm for it." But he said if the Israeli Government was building "any kind of pre-judged border for the long term", it would clearly violate international law.

He backed Sharon's advocacy of moves to withdraw from Gaza ."And I think they ought to unilaterally withdraw from some more of the West Bank and say, 'This is a prelude to more peace negotiations if we can stop the terror. And if we need to move it or tear it down, we'll do that if it is part of peace negotiations."'

There has been speculation Clinton may be appointed a special envoy to the Middle East under a Kerry administration. "It's entirely up to the next President," he said. But he added: "I want them to do this [achieve a Middle East settlement]. I hope I get to see this done before I die - whether I have anything to do with it or not."