Obama says he's not giving up on Mideast peace

[Valin]

AP:

JULIE PACE and MATTHEW LEE

3/21/13

 

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) -- President Barack Obama said Thursday he is not giving up on stalled peace talks in the Mideast but that continued Israeli settlement-building in West Bank is not helping the cause. Still, Obama suggested that Palestinians should not make it a condition to resuming peace negotiations with Israel. He says there's no point to negotiations if the expectation is that everything must be figured out in advance.

 

(Snip)

 

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, appearing alongside Obama at a news conference in Ramallah, West Bank, said Israel must stop illegal settlement building to advance peace talks.

"We are not claiming anything that is illegitimate or illegal," Abbas said in Arabic. "Therefore, we require the Israeli government to stop settlements in order to discuss all our issues and their concerns."

 

 

(Snip)

 

Abbas said he told the American leader that peace with Israel should not be achieved through violence, occupation, settlements, arrests or denial of refugee rights.

 

 

 

http://youtu.be/HiT1ZnjQ47Y

[Valin]

Revisiting Klavan’s one-state solution

Scott Johnson

3/21/13

 

(Snip)