U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has wrapped up a five-day Middle East tour. Speaking to a group of Arab leaders in Qatar, Clinton urged democratic reforms to help counter Islamic militants.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “If leaders don’t offer a positive vision and give young people meaningful ways to contribute, others will fill the vacuum. Extremist elements, terrorist groups and others who would prey on desperation and poverty are already out there, appealing for allegiance and competing for influence.”

After imploring Arab leaders to enact reforms, Clinton went on to defend the Obama administration’s refusal to apply meaningful pressure on Israel to end the occupation of Palestinian land. Clinton appeared to endorse Israel’s rejection of Arab and Palestinian peace offers by echoing Israel’s purported justification for killing more than 2,000 civilians in its attacks on Lebanon in 2006 and Gaza in 2009.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “We also have to convince the Israelis that a complete move toward a two-state solution will not endanger their security. Any leader in this room knows that you often make decisions based on your own experience and history. And when the Israelis pulled out from Lebanon, they got Hezbollah and 40,000 rockets, and when they pulled out of Gaza, they got Hamas and about 20,000 rockets. So it’s easy to say, well, this is what somebody else should do, but you’ve got to figure out a way to make it possible for people to undertake the hard work of the negotiations that are necessary to achieve a two-state solution.”