Former President Bill Clinton said he would "strongly support" an effort by President Barack Obama to issue his own Middle East peace plan, something now under discussion at the White House.
"We need to do something to deprive both sides of any excuse not to engage in serious negotiations," Mr. Clinton said in an interview aired Sunday on ABC's "This Week." "If this is the tactic he decides to adopt, I will strongly support it."
Mr. Clinton said he has talked the issue over with Mr. Obama and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, as well as with his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
He added that there was a strong argument against putting a peace plan on the table as well, namely that the Israeli government "almost certainly would reject it."
If the Israelis were to reject a U.S. peace plan, Clinton said, "the argument is that that makes us look weak."
"We need to do something to deprive both sides of any excuse not to engage in serious negotiations," Mr. Clinton said in an interview aired Sunday on ABC's "This Week." "If this is the tactic he decides to adopt, I will strongly support it."
Mr. Clinton said he has talked the issue over with Mr. Obama and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, as well as with his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
He added that there was a strong argument against putting a peace plan on the table as well, namely that the Israeli government "almost certainly would reject it."
If the Israelis were to reject a U.S. peace plan, Clinton said, "the argument is that that makes us look weak."