Condoleezza Rice on Palestine

Condoleezza Rice’s core position on Palestine, particularly during her tenure as Secretary of State, has consistently centered on the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel in peace and security, a goal she stated was a matter of U.S. policy under the president she served. She actively worked to support moderate Palestinian leadership, such as President Abbas, and stressed the necessity for Palestinians to build the political and economic foundations for a successful, democratic state. This involved coordinating international assistance, promoting economic opportunity through agreements like the one on Movement and Access, and helping to reform Palestinian security services to establish the rule of law.

Her efforts included holding Hamas accountable to three principles—disavowal of terror, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of past agreements—while simultaneously providing humanitarian and financial assistance to the Palestinian people. More recently, she expressed concern over the Palestinian Authority’s need for reform and stressed that Palestinians must change narratives that deny Israel’s right to exist, indicating that a two-state solution, while the aspiration, faces significant prerequisites regarding governance and mutual recognition.