Washington – U.S. President Barack Obama told Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas that he was committed to seeing the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state within two years, an Egyptian official told the Arabic-language daily Al-Hayat on Thursday.
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Obama promised Abbas that the United States would make great effort to help see that Palestinian goal achieved, the official told the London-based newspaper.
The official also told Al-Hayat that Israel had rejected special U.S. envoy George Mitchell’s proposal to withdraw Israel Defense Forces troops from Palestinian-occupied sections of the West Bank, as it did on the eve of the Second Intifada in 2000.
According to the report, Israel told Mitchell that it could not guarantee such a move before beginning direct peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.
In place of withdrawing troops, the official told Al-Hayat, Israel offered other goodwill gestures, such as removing checkpoints and releasing certain Palestinian prisoners.
Last week, Abbas urged the Obama administration to impose a solution to the Middle East conflict that would give his people an independent state, and rejected the idea of creating a state within temporary borders.
“Mr. President [Barack Obama] and members of the American administration, since you believe in this [an independent Palestinian state], it is your duty to take steps toward a solution and to impose this solution,” Abbas said in a speech to his Fatah party.
Abbas’ appeal to Obama came amid widespread media reports that the U.S. president was considering floating a proposal that would set the contours of a final peace deal.
Mr. President: It looks like you backed the wrong horse!! If you want to have peace people have to sit and talk person to person!! Mr. President, you are President of the United States of America. Mr. Abbas has to sit down and talk to Mr. Netanyahu!!!! Until such time, Mr. Abbas can wait till the cows come home, pardon the pun. but they both must sit down together!! I hope VIN posts this.
Once they have a state, what are they going to whine about?
If that happens that will be the begining of the end to israel.
This is all a charade. Everyone knows the Palestinians are not serious about getting a State. Only the NK and Palestinians think Israel will give up Jerusalem.
Hopefully obama will be out of office in 2 years
Why is releasing prisinors a show of goodwill? If someone commits a crime they belong in prison, jew or arab, it has nothing to do with the PA
Bad news because no president set a time table
When will the world learn that you cannot FORCE PEACE. If you force peace onto anyone that is not PEACE. That is FORCE. Peace between nations comes from respect and love for each other. Two things that neither side currently have.
mr obama, you are playing with fire. you will get burnt. you are waging a war directly against g-d and your end will be bitter, similar to that of king pharoah.
Look at that photo All that love,,,,
Somwhere in Kenya a village is missing an idiot,
Have no fear Obama won’t be in office in 2 years!
what is this state going to be called Hamastan and or his Hisbollistan. The promise of security for Israel sounds hallow
So far as Obama is concerned it must be within 2 years or it will be never. Less than 2 years from now starts the next presidential election campaign. Imagine Obama campaigning on his present policies.
All this on the assumption that he wins the democrat nomination. He has made plenty enemies in the democrat party. Unless he has some spectacular success he might be the first sitting president in history not to be renominated.
PMO anywhere?
So you don’t believe the Arabs when they write except now? Now they are suddenly ne’eman?
Why doesn’t he give him Guatanomo as his state?
i think they should put that state in his hometown of chicago.
this way he can be near the ones he loves
schumer… where are you
Any Jew who gave that Arab lover his vote made a big mistake.
Let’s hope this country and the world can stand this president for three more years.
It won’t be easy.
Schumer ken shlugen den kop zi der wand. Obama has an agenda and it is not to save Jews
Don’t forget Obama also promised CHANGE and it didn’t happen , so Be”h this won’t happen either.
Go ahead and promise a PA state in two years but make sure that state is in the U.S.