US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeared today on NBC's Meet the Press and on Fox News Study. The transcript of the Meet the Press interview follows the two videos:
On Monday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised West Jerusalem's willingness to embrace Washington's package of incentives: "This is a very promising development and a serious effort by Prime Minister Netanyahu."
Meanwhile, a diplomat familiar with the details of the US offer, which hopes to bring a resumption of direct Israel-Palestine talks, said Israel would be allowed to finish hundreds of apartments already under construction in West Bank settlements.
Still, opposition continues in Israel.
Sunday, November 14, 2010 at 4:14 | Ali Yenidunya in EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 
So Netanyahu continues to pile up Israel's possible victories. Washington has put even more goodies on the table for the limited step of a limited restriction on new Israeli settlements. Moreover, Netanyahu still has the "recognition of Israel as a Jewish State" card in his hand --- if the Palestinians will not make this commitment in advance of negotiations, the Israeli Prime Minister may say with regret that honest talks cannot resume.
The responses came quickly to Israel's announcement on Monday that 1,300 Jewish homes had been approved for construction beyond the Green Line in East Jerusalem and another 800 homes had been endorsed in the West Bank settlement of Ariel.
The State Department conveyed its "disappointment". The European Union urged Israel to reconsider its decision, and President Obama warned that the construction in East Jerusalem could obstruct the pursuit of peace in the Middle East: "This kind of activity is never helpful when it comes to peace negotiations."
UPDATE 1420 GMT: In the middle of Agence France Presse's report on the speech of President Ahmadinejad, this curious reference: "On Tuesday, Iran informed the six powers that it was ready for talks with them on November 23 or December 5 in Istanbul, according to a European diplomat."
Up to now, indications were that the proposed date was 15 November.
UPDATE 0910 GMT: Mahmoud, Let's Cut to the Chase. A lot of posturing by President Ahmadinejad in a speech in Qazvin in central Iran today, after he opened, "Iran is ready to hold talks on equal conditions to help settle ongoing problems, ease international concerns and establish peace and security in the world."
2010 GMT: The Khamenei Road Trip. The Supreme Leader's office has now released photographs of Ayatollah Khamenei's meeting today with several clerics, including Grand Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi (left in the photo below):
1735 GMT: The Supreme Leader and the Clerics (Round 2). A bit more of a substantial success for Ayatollah Khamenei this afternoon, at least according to Fars. He met more clerics, notably Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi. Other Ayatollahs who were present included Sobhani, Sadegh Larijani, Ahmad Khatami, Ebrahim Amini, and Ka'bi.
A bit of confusion, however, as Fars illustrates the encounter with a photograph from Tuesday's reception for the Supreme Leader. Neither IRNA nor Press TV carries a report on today's meeting. Nor, as far as I can tell, does Khamenei's official website.
1600 GMT: Execution Watch. A diplomat tips off a change?
The Iranian Ambassador in Rome, Seyed Mohammad Ali Hossein, has told Italy's main news agency that Tehran is likely to abolish stoning very soon.
Hossein added that the majority of the members of Parliament favour abolition, saying, and "penal law is subject to continous updating required by a changing society".
Hossein emphasised that the possible abolition of has nothing to do "with political and media pressure from abroad".
0640 GMT: Currency Watch. Thomas Erdbrink of The Washington Post has just contacted us to say his article is now posted on the current situation over the Iranian toman.
Money exchangers are still waiting to see if Iran's Central Bank will sell any dollars. The move was reportedly going to be made to protect against a sudden drop in the value of the Iranian currency.
0630 GMT: Nuclear Delay. Iran is reportedly delaying the opening of its Bushehr nuclear plant, scheduled for October, for three months.
The reason is unknown, but Iranian authorities have denied it is connnected with the rumoured cyber-attack of the Stuxnet worm.
Hillary Clinton, sanctions 
So, why can't Mahmoud Abbas leave the talks and go home if he cannot guarantee another full freeze? Washington Post gives the answer to this question:
In the end the Palestinian president would be foolish to end the talks. In so doing, he would leave Israel free to proceed with unchecked settlement construction while postponing Palestinian statehood indefinitely. He would also place himself at greater domestic political risk, since the end of negotiations would empower Palestinian militants.
If he stays in the talks, Mr. Abbas can oblige Mr. Netanyahu to spell out his specific terms for Palestinian statehood, something he has yet to do. If they resemble those offered by previous Israeli governments, it might be possible to move relatively quickly toward an accord on borders and security.
In other words, sitting at the table for Abbas is better than nothing. Let's see what Israelis are going to bring to it.
Considering efforts to bring Syrians and Israelis to the negotiation table, we said on 17 September:
To strengthen Ramallah’s hand at the negotiation table and to give a regional dimension for the Israel-Palestine talks, the Obama Administration is bringing in another strategy: Israeli-Syrian talks. These would serve both as a back-up measure to prevent radicalism and as an implicit pressure on both the Palestinians and Israelis.
We then asked whether this wass a "waste of time", given both Damascus' ties with Tehran and the US intention to use Syrian-Israeli talks as a tool for success of the Israeli-Palestinian discussions. We left the door open for a regional settlement as long as Damascus can get deal beyond return of the Golan Heights to Syra.
Following US special envoy George Mitchell's visit to Damascus on 16 September, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will see Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem in New York on Monday. "A comprehensive peace has to include the Syria-Israel track. It’s absolutely essential that Syria be part of this process," Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeff Feltman told reporters.
