One of the striking revelations from the tape is Senator Clinton’s critique of the U.S.’s push for elections in the Palestinian territories. Referring to the January 25, 2006, election for the second Palestinian Legislative Council, Clinton expressed regret over the U.S.’s encouragement for an election which eventually saw Hamas clinching a victory over the U.S.-preferred Fatah. She went on to suggest that had the U.S. decided to influence the elections, it should have ensured a favorable outcome.
This sentiment, as recalled by Chomsky, was shocking as it came from a national leader, implying a tolerance towards meddling in foreign elections.
In the audio, Clinton is heard saying, “I do not think we should have pushed for an election in the Palestinian territories. I think that was a big mistake. And if we were going to push for an election, then we should have made sure that we did something to determine who was going to win.”
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