Palestinians will need to change the way they educate their children, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on CBS 24/7 on Saturday alongside former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Without sweeping changes in mentality, there can be no path to true self-governance for Gaza, Rice noted.
In an interview, the two former Secretaries of State praised the new Gaza deal and discussed what needed to change going forward in the region.
“Change the lessons that you teach your kids about the state of Israel,” Rice advised Palestinians looking towards the possibility of a potential Palestinian state. “Don’t create another generation of Palestinians who believe that somehow the resistance is the way to peace and security.”
Rice said her largest concern is how Gaza will gain a truly representative government. Although she expressed respect for Palestinian Authority President Abbas, she expressed her belief that it was time to bring in younger Palestinians, especially those with more experience abroad.
"It is really time to move on to a new generation of leadership in the Palestinian Authority," Rice said.
Clinton agreed with Rice but added that Israel, too, needed to shift policy. Clinton called for the Israeli government to cease encouragement for settling in the West Bank, which she claimed gives the message that Israel isn't committed to pursuing peace.
Cautious optimism
The former Secretaries of State were interviewed two days after the deal was signed, and both Clinton and Rice took the opportunity to praise the deal but were cautious in their optimism.
“We have to navigate this first phase successfully, and that’s not self-evident. It’s going to take a lot of work,” said Clinton, who also expressed concerns about Hamas’s willingness to cede power.
Hamas will try to hide arms and armaments and continue to intimidate Gazans to hold onto their authority, according to Clinton, who added that security forces going into Gaza will have to be prepared to distinguish between Hamas, their fighters, “hard-core people who wish to martyr themselves,” and ordinary people of Gaza.
Rice focused more on the need to cut off international support to Hamas, with Iran being “the only hope” for Hamas to be able to reconstitute with proper financial support.
Both secretaries urged the international community to prepare for a long road ahead, emphasizing the need for outside assistance until a functional government from inside Gaza can be formed.