WASHINGTON, Dec 11 (Saba) -- US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton renewed late on Friday the US administration efforts to start direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians on the core issues of the final status agreement, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

"The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and between Israel and Arab neighbors is a source of tension and an obstacle to prosperity and opportunity for all the people of the region. It denies the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people and it poses a threat to Israel's future security. It is at odds also with the interests of the United States" said Clinton in remarks at the Brookings Institution's Saban Center for Middle East Policy Seventh Annual Forum.

She asked Israeli and Palestinian leaders to "help build confidence, work to minimize distractions, and focus on the core questions, even in a period when they are not talking directly" and urged them to "stop trying to assign blame for the next failure, and focus instead on what they need to do to make these efforts succeed." Clinton affirmed that the United States is "serious about peace" and "will be persistent and press forward" on the ground " to continue laying the foundations for a future Palestinian state. And we will redouble our regional diplomacy. When one way is blocked, we will seek another. We will not lose hope and neither should the people of the region." She affirmed that it was time to tackle the core issues of the conflict on borders and security; settlements, water and refugees; and on Jerusalem itself saying that the differences between both sides "are real and they are persistent. But the way to get there is by engaging, in good faith, with the full complexities of the core issues and by working to narrow the gaps between the two sides." Clinton said that both parties "have indicated that they want the United States to continue its efforts. And in the days ahead, our discussions with both sides will be substantive two-way conversations with an eye toward making real progress in the next few months on the key questions of an eventual framework agreement."

"The United States will not be a passive participant. We will push the parties to lay out their positions on the core issues without delay and with real specificity. We will work to narrow the gaps asking the tough questions and expecting substantive answers. And in the context of our private conversations with the parties, we will offer our own ideas and bridging proposals when appropriate," she added. Clinton noted that the US administration enters this phase "with clear expectations of both parties.

Their seriousness about achieving an agreement will be measured by their engagement on these core issues" saying that "the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean is finite, and both sides must know exactly which parts belong to each. They must agree to a single line drawn on a map that divides Israel from Palestine and to an outcome that implements the two-state solution with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt." "The Palestinian leaders must be able to show their people that the occupation will be over. Israeli leaders must be able to offer their people internationally recognized borders that protect Israel's security," she added.

Clinton described the refugees as "a difficult and emotional issue, but there must be a just and permanent solution that meets the needs of both sides" and "the fate of existing settlements is an issue that must be dealt with by the parties along with the other final status issues." "But let me be clear: the position of the United States on settlements has not changed and will not change. Like every American administration for decades, we do not accept the legitimacy of continued settlement activity. We believe their continued expansion is corrosive not only to peace efforts and two-state solution, but to Israel's future itself," she added.

While on Jerusalem, Clinton affirmed that "there will surely be no peace without an agreement on this, the most sensitive of all the issues.

The religious interests of people of all faiths around the world must be respected and protected. We believe that through good faith negotiations, the parties should mutually agree on an outcome that realizes the aspirations for both parties, for Jerusalem, and safeguard its status for people around the world." Clinton praised Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who was attending the forum, saying that Fayyad "has accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time under very difficult circumstances" and he brought along with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "strong leadership to the Palestinian Authority and he has helped advance the cause of a two-state solution by making a real difference in the lives of the Palestinian people." Clinton noted that "the lack of peace and the occupation that began in 1967 continue to deprive the Palestinian people of dignity and self-determination. This is unacceptable, and, ultimately, it too is unsustainable." While Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak noted in return that Jerusalem will be negotiated in this negotiated process saying that "western Jerusalem and the Jewish areas for us, the refugee-populated Arab neighborhoods for them and an agreed upon solution in the holy places" and added that there is no contradiction "between a two-state solution and the security of Israel." "On the contrary, two states for two peoples is the key condition for enabling Israel, now and in the future, to continue developing the Zionist dream," he added In addition to Fayyad and Barak, Clinton met yesterday with Kadima leader Tzipi Livni, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat and United Nations Special Envoy Terje Roed Larsen. While US envoy for the Middle East peace process George Mitchell will leave this weekend to the region.

Saba