May 27th, 2009 04:30 PM ET 5 years ago  Clinton calls for halt
to Israel's settlement activity  Hillary Clinton said Wednesday
that Israel should halt its settlement activity. Hillary Clinton
said Wednesday that Israel should halt its settlement activity.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - On the eve of President Obama's meeting with
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton said Wednesday that the Obama administration wants a
complete halt to settlement activity by Israel, which she argued
would help Washington's Mideast peace efforts.  "We think it is
in the best interest of the effort that we are engaged in that
settlement expansion cease," she said following a meeting with
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheit.  Clinton spoke
hours before having dinner with Abbas, who will meet with
President Obama at the White House Thursday.  Last week
President Obama met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, where
he pressed him to commit to the creation of a Palestinian state
and halt settlem