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Last update - 14:11 24/07/2008
Barack Obama tells Haaretz: Two states for two peoples
By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Barack Obama 

If elected, Barack Obama has no intention of wasting time on consolidating an "Obama peace plan." He would rather dive in and promote the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians on the basis of existing American initiatives, associates of the U.S. presidential hopeful said Wednesday during his visit to Israel.

"I believe the next U.S. administration should move quickly," Obama told Haaretz.

"I have had in-depth discussions today with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and encouraged all of them to make as much progress as they can in their negotiations this year," the presumptive Democratic Party nominee added. "The next U.S. administration should... help the parties build on the progress that has been made thus far, and continue to work toward the goal of two states living side by side in peace and security."
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One of Obama's senior consultants on the Middle East said that what Obama told Haaretz demonstrates the senator's determination to allay fears - or hopes - that if he is elected Obama would shelve the Israeli-Palestinian issue and place it at the bottom of his foreign policy agenda.

Projections to that effect by various political commentators were based on the assumption that Obama might opt to deal first with the Iranian issue and the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Iraq.

While Obama would attempt to deepen U.S. involvement in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, the consultant elaborated, he would do so on the basis of existing initiatives - the international Quartet's road map for peace and the Annapolis Declaration.

What would change, according to the consultant, is the U.S. distanced position, as the consultant put it, in which Washington monitors developments but generally prefers to refrain from a more hands-on policy.

On the Iranian issue, Obama's statements differ from what Israeli leaders have grown accustomed to hearing from officials in the administration of President George W. Bush.

During his brief visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority Wednesday, Obama told Defense Minister Ehud Barak that he views the peace process between Israel and Syria as very important. When speaking about Tehran's drive to obtain nuclear weapons, Obama reiterated the importance that he attributes to diplomatic pressure.

Commenting on Obama's recent statements about his support for a "united Jerusalem", presumably under Israeli control, a senior Palestinian official Wednesday told Haaretz that he advises against taking what presidential hopefuls tell Jewish voters too seriously.

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      1.   With Obama coming things are shaping up... 03:52  |  BBSNews 24/07/08
      2.   Well Obama certainly takes a common sense approach to ME... 04:32  |  Smadar 24/07/08
      3.   Ehud Barak`s rudeness on display 04:45  |  Profesora Isadora 24/07/08
      4.   A speech is only one, doing something is another. 05:41  |  The Archives 24/07/08
      5.   Tired old mantra, code for the oppressive status quo 05:45  |  Naftali Lavie 24/07/08
      6.   Fairness and Justice for Hezbollah and Al-Qaida, too (#1) 05:47  |  Nasrallah 24/07/08
      7.   What Obama needs to understand 06:37  |  Janice 24/07/08
      8.   Change is coming slowly but surely 06:37  |  Historian 24/07/08
      9.   Obama`s idea is nothing new 07:08  |  * BEN JABO 24/07/08
      10.   Naftali gives Obama excellent advice! 07:23  |  Ivar 24/07/08
      11.   Let?s be realistic. 07:32  |  Jean Van Daem 24/07/08
      12.   Not Lebanon or gaza, but a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria 07:34  |  Jean Van Daem 24/07/08
      13.   To "Historian. 07:40  |  Abraham Saks 24/07/08
      14.   Obama is not the Messiah ! 08:12  |  Akram Zekaria. 24/07/08
      15.   2 people 2 states, just a matter of time... 08:20  |  LNRD 24/07/08
      16.   Indrajaya You`re So Quiet 08:27  |  Yosemite 24/07/08
      17.   Jean`s "terror machine in Judea and Samaria" is the OCCUPATION 08:47  |  Ivar 24/07/08
      18.   palestinian people 09:07  |  izaak 24/07/08
      19.   Two nation 2 State.Israel Jewish State Jordan Palstinian State 09:12  |  e.m Jordan is Palse 24/07/08
      20.   Obama keep on dreaming ! 09:21  |  Alon Frank 24/07/08
      21.   A "Palestinian" will never exist again just like it never 09:27  |  Hana 24/07/08
      22.   A civil war will break out before and the arabs will be sent home 09:29  |  viktor 24/07/08
      23.   more ignorance and less change from obama 09:34  |  victor hardman 24/07/08
      24.   Janice Obama would never be as stupid as to listen to you 09:45  |  x-ray 24/07/08
      25.   Janice why should we implement a res that the Pals rejected? 09:48  |  x-ray 24/07/08
      26.   A "Change" In U.S. Mid East Policy; Long Overdue 09:51  |  Gray 24/07/08
      27.   The dead-end thinking of Jean van Daem # 11 09:59  |  Clickfool 24/07/08
      28.   Obama told haaretz Two states for two peoples ? 10:02  |  paulo2005 24/07/08
      29.   The greatest danger to Israel 10:11  |  Natallie Durson 24/07/08
      30.   Despite Durson Warning 10:26  |  Shimon Cleopas 24/07/08
      31.   Senator Barak Hussein Obama 10:46  |  Wise Saba 24/07/08
      32.   Don`t be silly! 10:47  |  Nechama 24/07/08
      33.   Pack your bags shtettlers 10:53  |  Guy From NYC 24/07/08
      34.   Mossad to agents in US: Stop Obama at all costs 11:04  |  Chanalau, Tova 24/07/08
      35.   #19, Durson 11:07  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/07/08
      36.   No Justice , No Peace 11:10  |  Shadi 24/07/08
      37.   BBSNews #1 and things shaping up 11:50  |  Tulip 24/07/08
      38.   Why Jesus Christ needs to return 11:51  |  Shimon Cleopas 24/07/08
      39.   #26 tova the bad where is obamas birth cerficate ? 12:06  |  victor hardman 24/07/08
      40.   two states two peoples 12:45  |  Luis 24/07/08
      41.   Obama has to learn a lot more about HAMAS..... 13:34  |  justicefor all 24/07/08
      42.   Obamas a mess! 13:37  |  petra 24/07/08
      43.   LET THE PALS HAVE PART OF SAUDI ARABIA. 13:38  |  petra 24/07/08
      44.   3 state solution will save Israel 13:57  |  jewish doctor 24/07/08
      45.   3 14:05  |  zionist forever 24/07/08
      46.   Two States 14:09  |  Shmuelshachor 24/07/08
      47.   CHANALAU.Your evidence for that statement came from? 14:22  |  PETER SM 24/07/08
      48.   Clickfool to Jean Van Daem 14:30  |  infidel 24/07/08
      49.   8 Historian,I would like to believe your analysis but Obama seems 14:42  |  lakshmi 24/07/08
      50.   GUY from NY Arabs insisted on no recognised borders 14:43  |  PETER SM 24/07/08
      51.   Does Obama have the Goods? 14:45  |  Ronnie Wolman 24/07/08
      52.   18 Gray and 26 Chanalau Tova,the grisly scenario 14:49  |  lakshmi 24/07/08
      53.   The two-state crap 14:52  |  Brod 24/07/08
      54.   Palestinian`s Would have had their state 60 years ago 14:54  |  * BEN JABO 24/07/08
      55.   Shear Stupidity Never Displayed With Such Clarity 15:11  |  No Obama 24/07/08
      56.   Smart 15:16  |  Serge 24/07/08
      57.   No Peace If Palestinian Leadership Barbaric 15:18  |  Peace and Justice 24/07/08
      58.   GRAY 2 states has been the US policy.It required end of terror 15:25  |  PETER SM 24/07/08
      59.   Changing facts on the ground 15:46  |  Peter 24/07/08
      60.   Crystal ball 15:47  |  utagawa 24/07/08
      61.   Shadi from Al Quds 15:52  |  utagawa 24/07/08
      62.   The unbearable lightness of being of Obama 15:56  |  S 24/07/08
      63.   Translation 16:17  |  Jeff Northridge 24/07/08
      64.   #6 16:17  |  Alan 24/07/08
      65.   #1 BBS News??????? 16:18  |  John Allen 24/07/08
      66.   Palestinians need to move to IRAN 16:24  |  Fred 24/07/08
      67.   #3 Rudeness! 16:24  |  John Allen 24/07/08
      68.   #27 Clickfool - Brilliant! 16:27  |  THK 24/07/08
      69.   NasrallahSomewhere in Hiding under 16:28  |  Fred 24/07/08
      70.   Give Arabs West Bank and Israel is doomed 16:28  |  Victor 24/07/08