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Last update - 10:22 29/05/2009
Obama: We must get Israel-Palestinian peace moves 'back on track'
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Abbas, Obama 

United States President Barack Obama met Thursday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the White House, and said that both Israel and the Palestinians must work to get the peace process "back on track."

"I am confident that we can move this process forward," Obama said after meeting with Abbas. The president said that means both sides must meet the obligations that they have already committed to - an element of the peace effort that has proved elusive for years.

"We can't continue with the drift, with the increased fear and resentment on both sides, the sense of hopelessness around the situation that we've seen for many years now," Obama told reporters with Abbas seated at his side. "We need to get this thing back on track."
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Hoping to revive stalled peace efforts, Obama held White House talks with Abbas ten days after hosting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who remains at odds with the U.S. over settlements and Palestinian statehood.

Obama made clear that he would continue to push Netanyahu, who has expressed his resistance to call for a total freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank.

Asked about the Israeli position on the two-state solution, Obama said he is confident that, if Israel looks at its long-term interests, it will realize a two-state solution is in the interest of the Israelis and Palestinians alike. "I'm a strong believer in a two-state solution," he said.

"I think that we don't have a moment to lose," Obama said, "but I also don't make decisions based on just the conversation that we had last week because obviously Prime Minister Netanyahu has to work through these issues in his own government, in his own coalition, just as President Abbas has a whole host of issues that he has to deal with."

Obama said he would discuss his proposal for the Mideast peace
process in some fashion during his speech from Cairo next week, because
not to do so would be "inappropriate." He said he also plans to deliver a broader message about improving the sense of understanding between Americans and Muslims around the world, in part by talking about the importance of Muslim Americans in American society.

The president commended Abbas for working toward a unity government, but remained insistent that the new government adhere to the principles laid out by the Quartet of Mideast peacemakers the U.S., Russia, United Nations and the European Union. He declined to specificy a time frame for a Palestinian state, saying he didn't want to set an "artificial time table," but added that he shares Abbas' feelings that "time is of the essence." His Mideast envoy George Mitchell is working to "jump start" the process, he said.

Abbas is working to repackage the 2002 Saudi Arabian plan that calls for Israel to give up land seized in the 1967 Six-Day War in exchange for normalized relations with the Arab world. Abbas gave Obama a document that would keep intact that requirement and also offer a way to monitor a required Israeli freeze on all settlement activity, a timetable for Israeli withdrawal and a realization of a two-state solution.

"The main purpose of presenting this document to President Obama is to help him in finding a mechanism to implement the Arab peace initiative," Abbas told the Associated Press.

Asked about his impression of the meeting with Obama, Abbas said: "It was a serious and open meeting and President Obama seems determined on what he has said to us and to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu about the necessity of implementing the road map, and we have agreed to continue our communications."

"I believe that if the Israelis would withdraw from all occupied Palestinian, Syrian, and Lebanese land, the Arab world will be ready to have normal relationships with the state of Israel," said Abbas.

When asked how the U.S. would intervene in the peace process, if Israel keeps declining to accept the two-state solution and to freeze the settlements, Obama answered: "If Israel keeps declining to accept the two-state solution and to freeze the settlements... Well, I think it's important not to assume the worst, but to assume the best."

Obama said he told Abbas the Palestinians must find a way to halt the incitement of anti-Israeli sentiments that are sometimes expressed in schools, mosques and public arenas. "All those things are impediments to peace," Obama said.

More than 120 settlements dot the West Bank, and Palestinian officials say their growth makes it increasingly impossible to realize an independent state. More than 280,000 Israelis live in the settlements, in addition to more than 2 million Palestinians living in the West Bank. An additional 180,000 Israelis live in East Jerusalem, where the Palestinians hope to establish their capital.

Netanyahu's government on Thursday spurned U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's blunt assertion that all settlement activity must stop, including the "natural growth" of existing enclaves that Netanyahu has vowed to continue.

"Normal life in those communities must be allowed to continue," said spokesman Mark Regev, noting Israel has already agreed not to build new settlements and to remove some unauthorized settler outposts. Regev said the fate of the settlements would be determined in peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

Related articles:
  • Israel rebuffs U.S. call for total settlement freeze
  • Is Abbas still relevant to the peace process?
  • Poll: Most Palestinians think Hamas-Fatah unity would help peace efforts

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      1.   push coming to shove 01:15  |  bronxite10 29/05/09
      2.   Will Obama let figments on the ground and flim-flam abort peace? 01:22  |  Ivar 29/05/09
      3.   obama verses netanyahu 01:32  |  adam 29/05/09
      4.   "Reduce" inciment contra "total" freeze,pals treated with kid glo 01:35  |  Absolute Sweden 29/05/09
      5.   Mixed signals from the gracious Preident. 01:35  |  Stephen. 29/05/09
      6.   Baruch Hashem 01:38  |  Yehoshua 29/05/09
      7.   The Core Principle of US Foreign Policy 01:44  |  Heinz 29/05/09
      8.   playing politics 02:02  |  thomas 29/05/09
      9.   Just Say No 02:07  |  Alan 29/05/09
      10.   There goes the West Bank 02:16  |  Samy 29/05/09
      11.   Hillary`s Demands 02:16  |  Nevada_len 29/05/09
      12.   Absolute Sweden 02:59  |  Ilias 29/05/09
      13.   Time For Some Tough Love 03:03  |  Sarah 29/05/09
      14.   Wait: why is it forbidden for Jews to live somewhere? 03:16  |  Rafé 29/05/09
      15.   Obligations 03:27  |  Iain 29/05/09
      16.   Just asking, but: What if.... 03:54  |  Jasper 29/05/09
      17.   Obama and Israeli Colonialism! 04:05  |  Le Corbeau 29/05/09
      18.   14 Rafe 04:06  |  Steve 29/05/09
      19.   Obama is no friend of Israel or the USA 04:12  |  Sue 29/05/09
      20.   #14 Rafé 04:15  |  JIm 29/05/09
      21.   All in 04:19  |  lincoln 29/05/09
      22.   Absolute Sweden _Israel`s had 40 years 04:28  |  Don 29/05/09
      23.   More Arab Land does not equal peace 04:35  |  Baruch Gold 29/05/09
      24.   Israel being told how to live and survive by the USA 04:36  |  edward gormican 29/05/09
      25.   All Hat and No Cattle 04:37  |  Roibert 29/05/09
      26.   Unanswered questions 04:39  |  Michael Several 29/05/09
      27.   Masada Will Never Fall Again 04:47  |  crlman 29/05/09
      28.   Re-Freeze The Thawed Settlements Or Else What? 04:49  |  Jeff Northridge 29/05/09
      29.   What if Obama... 04:56  |  Lara 29/05/09
      30.   Obama`s dangerous strategy 04:57  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/05/09
      31.   I`m Sorry 05:04  |  Brendan 29/05/09
      32.   RE: SUE FROM QUEENS, USA 05:06  |  albert 29/05/09
      33.   Brendan 05:06  |  Oh Yeah 29/05/09
      34.   NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN 05:08  |  Brant 29/05/09
      35.   Time for Israel to get down to reality... Herzl demands it. 05:13  |  Wedi Mendefera 29/05/09
      36.   crlman? yes we do 05:17  |  the world 29/05/09
      37.   NO JEWS IN JEWISH HOLY CITIES, BUT MUSLIMS ALL THROUGHOUT ISRAEL! 05:18  |  Curious George 29/05/09
      38.   NO reason for concessions or gestures without a peace agreement 05:24  |  bernard ross 29/05/09
      39.   Obama and Jihadism 05:31  |  Brod 29/05/09
      40.   Obama 05:41  |  Josiah J. Ben David 29/05/09
      41.   26 Jeff Northridge - What Pressure? 05:42  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/05/09
      42.   25 Criman - Nobody`s After Masada 05:52  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/05/09
      43.   Steve # 18 Actually, Israeli Settlers Fall Under Art. 6 05:57  |  Jeff Northridge 29/05/09
      44.   will only swap settlements for one thing 05:58  |  ari 29/05/09
      45.   Pre-conditions already difficult 06:01  |  Shimon Cleopas 29/05/09
      46.   Who need enemies when you get friends like Israel 06:15  |  Alex 29/05/09
      47.   39 Brod - Holy Holy War! Batman 06:16  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/05/09
      48.   Oh God! Obama Is Going To Tell The Saudis What? 06:36  |  Jeff Northridge 29/05/09
      49.   #38 A settlement freeze isn`t a concession, bernard 06:38  |  Johnboy 29/05/09
      50.   What Obama does not yet know 06:44  |  Shimon Cleopas 29/05/09
      51.   Iran will be off the table 06:58  |  American GI 29/05/09
      52.   This is the big lie of the Israel/Palestine conflict. 07:33  |  Mario Sala 29/05/09
      53.   What means "presses" ? 07:34  |  Jorge 29/05/09
      54.   To le Corbeau 07:52  |  Le Renard 29/05/09
      55.   Israel has NO obligation to terror 07:58  |  DT 29/05/09
      56.   West Bank- Samy 08:01  |  Tracey 29/05/09
      57.   Obama confronting Israel 08:08  |  Mark 29/05/09
      58.   #28 Jeff Northridge 08:19  |  Jim 29/05/09
      59.   #20 Jim 08:23  |  Mark 29/05/09
      60.   TO Yehoshua #6 08:45  |  Steve Beikirch 29/05/09
      61.   Hey, Obama! 09:03  |  Gilad 29/05/09
      62.   Obama is not god 09:14  |  PARIS 29/05/09
      63.   Why force peace on the Palestinians? 09:19  |  Michael 29/05/09
      64.   If Jews and Pals can`t make peace on their own it must be forced 09:26  |  Michael 29/05/09
      65.   Stop terror, incitement to terror and anti-Jewish racism. That 09:28  |  Yhudit Arbel 29/05/09
      66.   Why should the US support a religious state anyway 09:32  |  johnny 29/05/09
      67.   The West Bank is not Palestine - Gaza is not Palestine 09:56  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 29/05/09
      68.   #7 Heinz the road two pieces 09:58  |  maoriboy 29/05/09
      69.   ETERNAL TRACK 10:00  |  Donna 29/05/09
      70.   Making peace 10:06  |  DavidSanders 29/05/09
      71.   #28 Jeff Northridge. Interesting post. 10:13  |  Stephen. 29/05/09
      72.   gormican - Catholic 10:13  |  DavidSanders 29/05/09
      73.   Abu Mazon: Thou Dost Protest Too Much! 10:23  |  Laguna Geno 29/05/09
      74.   Sentimental romance 10:23  |  Zeev 29/05/09
      75.   #.48. Jim. On chop chop..? 10:36  |  Stephen. 29/05/09
      76.   #56. PARIS 10:45  |  Stephen. 29/05/09
      77.   Nothing but free Palestine 10:50  |  Palestinian 29/05/09
      78.   #.31. Brenden from Miami Fla. 11:12  |  Stephen. 29/05/09
      79.   Regev, the governments mouth-piece declares: 11:26  |  Esther 29/05/09
      80.   Cipora #30 tends to mislead... 11:47  |  Esther 29/05/09
      81.   No need for negotiations 11:52  |  Matty Groves 29/05/09
      82.   Answ: Obama is no friend of Israel or the USA 11:54  |  GeMe 29/05/09
      83.   # 69 Stephen, you can be both "smart" and "stupid" together.... 11:57  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/05/09
      84.   It is as usual again ! 12:18  |  Akram Zekaria 29/05/09
      85.   Obama trying to please everyone with the wrong solutions ! 12:21  |  Akram Zekaria 29/05/09
      86.   They target our people and you ask us to stop living? No way! 12:27  |  Raanan Sharoni 29/05/09
      87.   adam 12:33  |  oz 29/05/09
      88.   The shameless Change ! 12:43  |  Akram Zekaria 29/05/09
      89.   Raanan Sharoni 12:45  |  Matty Groves 29/05/09
      90.   the only way 12:49  |  ehud 29/05/09
      91.   76-Raanan Sharoni : 12:53  |  Akram Zekaria 29/05/09
      92.   Margie in Cuckoo land 12:57  |  Matty Groves 29/05/09
      93.   Esther it was a neat switch, I wrote about it yesterday... 13:01  |  BBSNews 29/05/09
      94.   Raanon Sharoni #77- Reality and Rhetoric 13:09  |  Rod 29/05/09
      95.   Margie vs, Esther 13:11  |  Jackie 29/05/09
      96.   Plestinian 13:16  |  ehud 29/05/09
      97.   Obama should be declare war on the illegal settlements... 13:22  |  Dutch 29/05/09
      98.   Until Israel has a partner 13:23  |  David 29/05/09
      99.   friend 14:12  |  oz 29/05/09
      100.   and then what 14:24  |  danish 29/05/09
      101.   # 59 mark 14:35  |  Axel 29/05/09
      102.   Dutch # 92 Are You Refering To ICJ`s Advisory Opinion Of 7/9/04? 14:54  |  Jeff Northridge 29/05/09
      103.   Israel has to stop acting like a spoiled child 15:44  |  John 29/05/09
      104.   ehud, you are mistaken 15:59  |  Ibrahim 29/05/09
      105.   Getting Peace on track 16:08  |  WHG 29/05/09
      106.   How can Obama `force` Israel to make peace? 16:43  |  Mark Lincoln 29/05/09
      107.   30~ Cipora : "Obama`s dangerous strategy" 18:50  |  Akram Zekaria 29/05/09
      108.   US cutting aid? Don`t think so. 20:05  |  mzbarsk 29/05/09
      109.   #80, Esther, such a clever girl 20:42  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/05/09
      110.   (2nd try) 106~ Mark Lincoln "The most extreme wants everything- 21:21  |  Akram Zekaria 29/05/09
      111.   Esther #79/80 N.B 21:29  |  Roo 29/05/09
      112.   Obamele, what`s the arab compromise? 21:50  |  peter 29/05/09
      113.   The increasing irrelevance of Obama and the US 21:56  |  Voice of Reason 29/05/09
      114.   Ibrahim 22:00  |  Daniela 29/05/09
      115.   Matty Groves in la-la-land 22:10  |  peter 29/05/09
      116.   Esther #79/80 N.B 22:51  |  Roo 29/05/09
      117.   Matty Groves 23:51  |  x-ray 29/05/09
      118.   to Peter.......Israel never faught a war ALONE ! 00:03  |  Antonio da Silva 30/05/09
      119.   Akram Zekaria - Menachem Begin 01:43  |  Mark Lincoln 30/05/09
      120.   Begin was never the most extreme Mr. Zekaria 01:56  |  Mark Lincoln 30/05/09
      121.   response to Lincoln #106 03:35  |  Bronxite10 30/05/09
      122.   Jlm 04:25  |  Gregor 30/05/09
      123.   Antonio da Silva....overseas? 05:18  |  MMM 30/05/09
      124.   #102 Jeff has the Readers Digest version of the AO - 2nd try 05:24  |  Johnboy 30/05/09
      125.   Johnboy # 124 That`s Right 13:26  |  Jeff Northridge 30/05/09
      126.   Correct Johnboy 15:48  |  Iain 30/05/09
      127.   119 &120 Mark Lincoln (3rd try) 16:12  |  Akram Zekaria 30/05/09
      128.   Cipora #109... oye vey, what a sexist title...! 17:31  |  Esther 30/05/09
      129.   To Voice of Reason@113..Good Point.And I have suggested the same 18:07  |  Kathy 30/05/09
      130.   Dutch wazza matter, are the arabs anti semitic? 18:44  |  petra 30/05/09
      131.   # 103 Oh Johnny boy, 18:53  |  Petra 30/05/09
      132.   Iain # 126 Incorrect (part 1) 18:59  |  Jeff Northridge 30/05/09
      133.   Ya, Roo #116... one just utters some criticism of Bibi... 19:05  |  Esther 30/05/09
      134.   Ya,Esther A Question:And No Bull this time,I PROMISE! 19:38  |  Kathy 30/05/09
      135.   Iain # 126 Incorrect (part 2) 19:57  |  Jeff Northridge 30/05/09
      136.   # 130 petra 20:51  |  Axel 30/05/09
      137.   Ya, Kathy #133... glad to respond... 21:00  |  Esther 30/05/09
      138.   Oh,oh Dutch #97 Are you Turning Into A Warmonger Now? 21:52  |  JUST ME 30/05/09
      139.   To peter@112 (THIRD TRY) Get it out haaretz,Just A Short One. 22:34  |  Kathy 30/05/09
      140.   #125 2nd try to point out Jeff`s mistakes 15:23  |  Johnboy 31/05/09
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