Clinton to speak at AIPAC

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will be the keynote speaker at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee annual policy conference.

Clinton will speak on the second day of the conference, which is set for March 21-23 in Washington.

The announcement this week of her address at the conference comes as the Obama administration is stepping up efforts to show U.S.-Israel closeness.

Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel this week and said there was “no space” between the two countries when it comes to Israel’s security, although he decried Israel’s announcement that it was building 1,600 new housing units in eastern Jerusalem.

Also addressing the parlay are Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Tzipi Livni, the leader of the opposition Kadima Party.

A focus of the conference will be on efforts to further isolate Iran to pressure it toward nuclear transparency.