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March 21st, 2013
10:03 AM ET

Fmr. Special Envoy to the Middle East Mitchell: Many issues block peace between Israel, Palestinians

Fmr. Sen. George Mitchell on President Obama's meeting with Palestinian President Abbas and chance of new peace plan.


Filed under: Israel • Mideast • Palestinians
October 8th, 2012
08:37 AM ET

Romney rep.: 'Clear' difference on foreign policy from Obama, says a Romney presidency will stand side-by-side with Israel

This morning on "Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien," Romney Campaign Senior Communications Advisor Tara Wall says there's a 'clear difference' between the foreign policy plans of her candidate and President Obama.

"Americans need to understand there is a clear and distinct choice between these candidates, relative to their approaches to foreign policy and how we lead, how we have led, how this president has led, how this president failed to lead it in a large degree, even just recently," Wall says.

Soledad points out that Romney's foreign policy plan is very similar to President Obama's, and pushes Wall for details on those differences.

"I'm sure you can find similarities in a number of positions with leaders on a number of different issues," Wall adds. "There are those clear differences that have been spelled out, that we do spell out. and the approach that this governor takes and plans to take relative to cracking down on terrorists and enemies and those who are out to harm us and out to harm our allies."

The conversation became heated when Soledad asks Wall about Romney's position on the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Soledad notes the contradicting points from a secret video tape released earlier this year, where Romney says "I'm torn by two perspectives in this regard. One is the one which I've had for some time, which is that the Palestinians have no interest whatsoever in establishing peace. And that the pathway to peace is almost unthinkable to accomplish." Soledad compares that to Romney's upcoming foreign policy speech today, where excerpts say he will "recommit America to the goal of a democratic, prosperous Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the Jewish state of Israel."

"We will stand side-by-side with Israel, and the Governor has made that clear," Wall says. "I'm not going to get into a big foreign policy debate with you here...that's not my position, not my role. If you want to talk about that I suggest you put on a couple of foreign affairs experts and let them go at it and pick this apart in the way you'd like to have it picked apart. But I think we've clearly stated what our position is."


Filed under: Foreign policy • Iran • Israel • Palestinians