Report: Recording released of Clinton suggesting rigging 2006 Palestinian election

Chomsky was "taken aback" that “anyone could support the idea—offered by a national political leader, no less—that the US should be in the business of fixing foreign elections.”

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton looks through a teleprompter before discussing the Iran nuclear agreement. (photo credit: REUTERS)
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton looks through a teleprompter before discussing the Iran nuclear agreement.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
In a recording released by The Observer on Wednesday, Hillary Clinton is heard suggesting the 2006 Palestinian Election should have been rigged.
The quote is from a 2006 interview between Clinton and Eli Chmosky of the Jewish Press during her campaign for reelection to the US senate, and was part of a previously un-aired portion.
Regarding the election, in which Hamas beat Fatah by 74 to 45 seats, Clinton said "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."
The Observer notes that Chomsky was "taken aback" that “anyone could support the idea—offered by a national political leader, no less—that the US should be in the business of fixing foreign elections.”
Later, regarding the need to react to global terror, Clinton said "I think you can make the case that whether you call it ‘Islamic terrorism’ or ‘Islamo-fascism,’ whatever the label is we’re going to give to this phenomenon, it’s a threat. It’s a global threat. To Europe, to Israel, to the United States…Therefore we need a global response. It’s a global threat and it needs a global response."
Chomsky told The Observer that he held onto the tapes for all of these years despite the Jewish Press's reluctance to "say anything offensive about anybody."