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Last update - 19:11 27/01/2009
Obama: Time for Palestinians, Israel to resume peace talks
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies
Tags: Obama, Israel news 

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday that Israel and the Palestinians should resume their peace negotiations and he praised Saudi King Abdullah for putting forward an Arab plan for peace in the Middle East.

Obama, in his first interview with Arab television since becoming president, told al-Arabiya television his administration would adopt a more comprehensive approach in its relations with the Muslim world.



"It is impossible for us to think only in terms of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and not think in terms of what's happening with Syria or Iran or Lebanon or Afghanistan and Pakistan," Obama told the Dubai-based Arabic cable channel. "These things are interrelated."

Obama said his administration had begun to fulfill his campaign promises by naming former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell as a Mideast peace envoy and sending him to the region within days of his becoming president.

Mitchell was traveling to the region on Monday evening.

"Ultimately we cannot tell either the Israelis or the Palestinians what is best for them. They are going to have to make some decisions," Obama said.

"But I do believe that the moment is ripe for both sides to realize that the path that they are on is one that is not going to result in prosperity and security for their people. And that instead, it's time to return to the negotiating table."

Obama pledged on Monday that Mitchell would engage "vigorously and consistently" in the quest for Israeli-Palestinian peace and would seek concrete results.

"The cause of peace in the Middle East is important to the United States and our national interests. It's important to me personally," Obama, who has made Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy a high priority for his new administration, told reporters while meeting with Mitchell and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Mitchell was scheduled to leave for the Middle East later Monday.

Obama said he was dispatching Mitchell fully aware that there would be no overnight success, but with greater hope for progress in establishing an Israeli-Palestinian peace because the administration was engaging in an early fashion.

"Sen. Mitchell is fully empowered by me and Secretary Clinton," Obama said during a brief photo opportunity before the meeting began. "When he speaks, he speaks for us."

Earlier Monday, U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood held a briefing ahead of Mitchell's trip, telling reporters that the new Mideast envoy did not intend to visit Syria, nor did he plan to speak with Hamas during his first mission. Rather, he planned to listen to regional leaders and assess the situation.

Mitchell was scheduled to land in Cairo Monday night and hold some meetings on Tuesday; he was then scheduled to continue to Tel-Aviv and then the West Bank city of Ramallah for two days. From there, he was to continue to Amman and Riyadh.

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      2.   Bad News for the Zionists 00:58  |  Bryan 27/01/09
      3.   God`s speed! Put your foot down. 00:59  |  Joe 27/01/09
      4.   There`ll be no shunning the envoy... 01:10  |  Victor 27/01/09
      5.   Obama/Mitchell 01:13  |  Gerry Hiles 27/01/09
      6.   Personal agenda does not count 01:20  |  Brod 27/01/09
      7.   I Hope... 01:29  |  Seal 27/01/09
      8.   BTW 01:36  |  Gerry Hiles 27/01/09
      9.   Hit the nail on the head. 01:51  |  Bazmann 27/01/09
      10.   Two state solution is dead 02:00  |  Kiv 27/01/09
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      13.   Orwell speaks: 02:39  |  Radovan 27/01/09
      14.   Peace is Important 02:59  |  Dr. David Feigenbaum 27/01/09
      15.   Anerican Involvement in the "Peace Process" 03:02  |  Dr. David Feigenbaum 27/01/09
      16.   Obama`s ego: bigger than Ben Hur 03:18  |  Nechama 27/01/09
      17.   game over 03:25  |  Yohnan 27/01/09
      18.   bazmann,nour,kiv and david james 03:26  |  boris 27/01/09
      19.   It is also important to his VP Joe Biden. 03:38  |  Christopher 27/01/09
      20.   Talking peace 03:47  |  Victor 27/01/09
      21.   #6 David Feigenbaum 04:00  |  Bryan 27/01/09
      22.   Obama and ME Peace 04:51  |  DT 27/01/09
      23.   Silly People Here ... Obama is a smart man 04:54  |  GZLives 27/01/09
      24.   Obama: Mideast peace effort 04:55  |  Jaff Sassani 27/01/09
      25.   Yes Boris and look at what they`ve become 05:33  |  David James Vickery 27/01/09
      26.   Nour 05:47  |  Bazmann 27/01/09
      27.   #20 GZLives - You are perfectly right, of course.. 06:08  |  Christopher 27/01/09
      28.   Barack, you are confused 06:11  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/01/09
      29.   Long Western history of international piracy 07:31  |  abu ismail sami 27/01/09
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      32.   Russia, China silence incomprehensible 08:03  |  abu ismail sami 27/01/09
      33.   Christopher you refuse to listen to what Hamas says 08:04  |  GZLives 27/01/09
      34.   There will never be peace even without Israel 08:17  |  Hemingway 27/01/09
      35.   endgame 08:27  |  jake 27/01/09
      36.   No starter from the get-go 08:47  |  Jim 27/01/09
      37.   Quandary 08:59  |  Anthony 27/01/09
      38.   New puppet... 09:08  |  Maureen Ann 27/01/09
      39.   Islamism is the root of the problem - we ALL know it 09:14  |  GZLives 27/01/09
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      42.   Obama: Time for Palestinians , Israel to resu 09:24  |  billd 27/01/09
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      50.   How can their be peace talks with the Palestinians so divided 13:15  |  Jo 27/01/09
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      52.   Lip service to the promised "change". 13:27  |  S 27/01/09
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      60.   Spyguy from SF. Try to skip the evening meal - 18:07  |  17 27/01/09
      61.   Birds of a feather, flock together 18:07  |  JM 27/01/09
      62.   Mark Lincoln 18:14  |  Bryan 27/01/09
      63.   Now the name calling and undermining will start. Obama peace.... 18:33  |  JIM 27/01/09
      64.   Obama call for peace 18:36  |  Khalid Hasan 27/01/09
      65.   Obama is he the same as all other US Presidents ? 18:37  |  Akram Zekaria 27/01/09
      66.   Here`s a Viable Middle East Peace Plan - Part I 19:25  |  MIKE 27/01/09
      67.   Viable Middle East Peace Plan - Part II 19:26  |  MIKE 27/01/09
      68.   negotiate with the children 19:34  |  ben 27/01/09
      69.   Israelis Should Be Plenty Worried 22:09  |  Tod Zuckerman 27/01/09
      70.   x-ray 22:19  |  Mark Lincoln 27/01/09
      71.   1, MarkL 22:21  |  Harry 27/01/09
      72.   "peace is a state of mind" 22:25  |  christoph 27/01/09
      73.   2.5 billiob reason why 22:44  |  truthbeborn 27/01/09
      74.   Chris if Israel wants peace why dont they stop building illegal s 22:53  |  Pronsias 27/01/09
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      77.   Christopher # 49 - With All Honesty.... 23:22  |  WSIWYG 27/01/09
      78.   To: Pronsius 23:35  |  Angel 27/01/09
      79.   Angel wrong on Gaza as well... 00:49  |  BBSNews 28/01/09
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      84.   To: Pronsias 02:51  |  Angel 28/01/09
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