Too many Israelis ready to give up on peace: Obama
26 Sept 2014 5:53 AM IST
Barack Obama lamented on Wednesday that ‘too many Israelis’ were ready to abandon Middle East peace efforts and urged them to reflect on the matter, saying the status quo with the Palestinians was unsustainable.
As part of a broader speech to the UN Assembly, Obama appeared to gently chide close US ally Israel against giving up on peace a week before he hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. While Obama used his address primarily to rally support in the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, he also recommitted to the pursuit of a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians despite what he called a ‘bleak’ landscape. US-brokered negotiations collapsed in April. ‘The violence engulfing the region on Thursday has made too many Israelis ready to abandon the hard work of peace,’ Obama said.
Then, departing from printed remarks made available to reporters beforehand, he added: ‘And that’s something worthy of reflection within Israel.’ ‘Because let’s be clear: the status quo in the West Bank and Gaza is not sustainable. We cannot afford to turn away from this effort.
As part of a broader speech to the UN Assembly, Obama appeared to gently chide close US ally Israel against giving up on peace a week before he hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. While Obama used his address primarily to rally support in the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, he also recommitted to the pursuit of a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians despite what he called a ‘bleak’ landscape. US-brokered negotiations collapsed in April. ‘The violence engulfing the region on Thursday has made too many Israelis ready to abandon the hard work of peace,’ Obama said.
Then, departing from printed remarks made available to reporters beforehand, he added: ‘And that’s something worthy of reflection within Israel.’ ‘Because let’s be clear: the status quo in the West Bank and Gaza is not sustainable. We cannot afford to turn away from this effort.
Next Story
