Clinton speaking in Charlotte, N.C. Sept 8 (Reuters)

DEARBORN — Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton reiterated her support for the two-state solution and emphasized Palestinians’ right to a normal life with peace an dignity, in an exclusive statement to The Arab American News.

Arab Americans may disagree on many issues, but ensuring the independence and human rights of the Palestinian people is a cause that unites the community. 

While Arab and Muslim American groups have continuously condemned Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric, many Arab voters are reluctant to back Clinton, partly because of her foreign policy approach — particularly on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Successive Republican and Democratic administrations have continued to almost unconditionally support Israel, disappointing Arab Americans. Even President Obama, who appeared to have a rift with right wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the Iran nuclear deal, this week increased the military aid for Israel over the next decade. Meanwhile, the State Department’s strong language on Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank has not stopped the Israeli policies there.

“Only a two-state solution can provide Palestinians independence, sovereignty and dignity, and provide Israelis the secure and recognized borders of a democratic, Jewish state,” Clinton said in the email to The AANews. “Now, it’s no secret that the most recent efforts to advance direct negotiations didn’t yield much tangible progress. But I remain convinced, and I think it’s important we all remain convinced, that peace is possible.”

She said she refuses to give up on the goal of two states for two people, urging Israelis and Palestinians to seek every opportunity to demonstrate commitment to peace.

“Inaction is not an option,” Clinton said.

The former secretary of state also voiced her opposition to the one-state proposal, calling it a “no solution” that would be a prescription for endless conflict. 

“Israelis deserve security, recognition, and a normal life free from terror,” she said. “And Palestinians too deserve a normal life and should be able to govern themselves in their own state, in peace and dignity. Now for most Americans, it is hard to imagine the reality that exists for many Palestinians and recently for Israelis. So as difficult as this is, we need to look for opportunities to move forward together.” 

The Democratic nominee made a subtle reference to Israeli settlement expansion.

“Everyone has to do their part to create the conditions for progress by taking positive actions that can rebuild trust and by avoiding damaging actions, including with respect to settlements,” Clinton said.

However, Zara Rahim, Muslim American outreach spokeswoman for Hillary for America, said the Democratic nominee has not refrained from criticizing Israel when it has taken damaging actions, including settlement activity. 

She described Clinton as a “long-time champion of the peace process.”

Rahim lauded Clinton for overseeing the last round of direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians as secretary of state. She said Clinton personally negotiated a ceasefire with Gaza in 2012, averting potentially many more casualties on both sides.

“In 2009, she announced $300 million on humanitarian aid to Gaza and $600 million in assistance to the Palestinian Authority,” Rahim said in an email to The AANews. “She also announced a program to enable Palestinian students to enroll in universities that might otherwise be out of financial reach. She also pressed Israel to ramp up its investment in the West Bank and remittances to the Palestinians to help them feel like they have a real stake in a more positive future.”

Trump’s advisor David Friedman said the Republican nominee will not push Israel to agree to a two-state solution. 

“What he’s for, is respecting the independence of the Israeli government and their democratically elected leadership to reach — without pressure from the United States — their own vision on how the Israelis and Palestinians should live side by side,” Friedman told Israel’s Channel 10 on Wednesday.

After saying that he would be neutral on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict early on in the campaign, Trump has repeatedly voiced his bias for Israel, going as far as saying that settlement construction in the West Bank should “keep going.“

Both major presidential candidates spoke at the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee in March, pledging to continue the U.S. commitment to Israel’s security.