Abbas urges end to Israeli settlements
Obama held talks with Abbas at the White House yesterday, 10 days after hosting Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is at odds with the US over Jewish settlements and Palestinian statehood.
Abbas wants a tougher US approach towards Netanyahu, who heads a right-leaning Israeli government including pro-settler parties.
US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, offered support on Wednesday for the Palestinian demand that Netanyahu impose a total freeze on settlement construction in the occupied West Bank. She said Obama would “press the point” that all settlement activity must stop, including the “natural growth” of existing enclaves that Netanyahu has vowed to continue.
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev responded by reasserting Netanyahu’s intention to allow some further construction to accommodate the expansion of settler families.
“Israel... will abide by its commitments not to build new settlements and to dismantle unauthorised outposts,” he said. But, as for existing settlements, he said “normal life must be allowed to continue in these communities”.
Even as policy differences expose a rare US-Israeli rift, it is unclear how hard Obama is willing to push the Jewish state to make concessions when his administration has yet to complete its Middle East strategy.
Obama, who reaffirmed US support for a two-state solution, sees engagement as crucial to repairing America’s image in the Muslim world and draw moderate Arab states into a united front against Iran.
Netanyahu’s refusal to embrace the goal of Palestinian statehood has added a new obstacle to Obama’s efforts.
Palestinians contend that expansion of settlements, deemed illegal by the World Court, is aimed at denying them a viable state.
Obama is to see Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh and Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in Cairo next week and then deliver a speech. Muslims will be looking for signs of how Obama will tackle the Arab-Israeli standoff.
The White House has made clear that Obama has no plan to use his June 4 speech in Egypt to unveil a new peace initiative.
But Obama hopes to work toward a broader peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours.
For now, the prospects for progress look dim.
In Washington last week, Netanyahu did not budge from his resistance to accepting a two-state solution.
Meanwhile, Abbas has ruled out restarting peace talks until Israel commits to Palestinian statehood and a settlement freeze.
