Posts
(RawStory.com) Leading Republican White House contender Newt Gingrich has stood by remarks that Palestinians are an “invented” people, which have sparked outrage as he seemed to call into question long-held US policy on statehood.
“Is what I said factually correct? Yes. Is it historically true? Yes,” Gingrich said during a thorny moment in the latest debate among the Republicans vying to challenge President Barack Obama in the November 2012 election.
Gingrich’s comments were the most hawkish to date from any Republican vying to take on President Barack Obama in November 2012′s national election, and came as his rivals upped the bidding to gain key support from Jewish voters.
In a sign he could abandon the US position on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, Gingrich said the Jewish people had the right to a state, but did not confirm if Palestinians should have the same privilege.
“Remember there was no Palestine as a state. It was part of the Ottoman Empire,” Gingrich told The Jewish Channel in an interview released on Friday.
“We’ve had an invented Palestinian people, who are in fact Arabs, and were historically part of the Arab community,” he said.
“They had a chance to go many places. And for a variety of political reasons, we have sustained this war against Israel now since the 1940s, and I think it’s tragic,” the candidate said.
Republicans aiming for the presidency have declared an unshakable commitment to Israel, while criticizing Obama’s policy toward the Jewish state.
But Gingrich’s campaign was later forced to backtrack and a statement was issued that said the candidate did in fact favor the same two-state solution espoused by Obama and previous US presidents.
Read full story at RawStory.com...
