AP reports: "With Netanyahu at his side, Obama said he had told the new Israeli leader during more than two-hours of talks that his government must move quickly to resume peace talks with the Palestinians and had insisted negotiations start from a previous agreement on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. [...] Netanyahu said he was ready to resume peace talks with the Palestinians immediately but he also said any agreement depended on their acceptance of Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state."
Comment: This is encouraging, it appears that both Obama and Netanyahu kept to their positions and did not give any ground. Netanyahu did not use the phrase "two-state solution" and insisted that both Fatah and Hamas must recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state while turning attention to the threat posed by Iran. It remains to be seen what concessions Obama will ask of the Palestinians, but I would suggest that asking Hamas to disarm and/or disband would be consistent with the goal of a united Palestinian government living side by side in peace with Israel. Unless, of course, they want to try for a three-state solution.
No comments:
Post a Comment