US First Lady Hillary Clinton was forced to defend her controversial stance in favor of a Palestinian state in a televised debate Friday with her Republican rival for the US Senate seat from New York.
In the race for a state where the Jewish vote is crucial, the topic of the Middle East is a fiercely contentious subject.
Republican rival Rick Lazio accused Clinton of lacking consistency in her position but the first lady maintained that she had "unwavering support for Israel."
Lazio recounted that Clinton came out in 1998 in support of a Palestinian state in a move that angered Israeli leaders who were seeking to negotiate the terms of a new peace deal with the Palestinians.
Clinton said that she favored a Palestinian state "only as part of a comprehensive peace agreement," and insisted that had always been her position.
"A unilateral declaration (of a Palestinian state) is absolutely unacceptable and would mean the end of any US aid," she asserted.
The most heated of three meetings between the two candidates vying for the seat vacated by Democrat Daniel Patrick Moynihan began with explosive exchanges from both rivals on the issues of education, abortion and the Middle East.
The third debate comes as Clinton enjoys a 50 to 43 percent lead among decided voters over Lazio less than two weeks until the November 7 election.
The moderator asked the candidates about the negative tone of the campaign, asking if it had deteriorated.
Clinton replied "no, of course not, I think Mr Lazio seems like a very nice person."
She was then asked to name three positive things about her rival, to which she said "he has a nice family," "has worked very hard" and "he is an attractive young man."
Lazio responded that she too is "attractive" with "a nice family."
"I am sure you have a nice family and I am sure you are a very good mother as well," he said.
"But," Clinton added, "this is not what this election is about. I'm struck by what different views my opponent has a I have" on education, health care and social security.
The only issue on which the candidates agreed was on the death penalty, which they both oppose.
When Clinton accused Lazio of receiving money from construction interests while sitting on a Congressional committee overseeing the industry, he said "I won't tolerate being dragged down in the mud."
"My reputation is impeccable, my integrity is impeccable," he said.
At the end of the debate, Clinton, who moved to the state just last year, said that win or lose, she intends to live in New York, "for the rest of my life."
"I will write, teach, work for the causes I have worked for more than 30 years," she said -- NEW YORK (AFP)
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