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US President-elect Barack Obama and US Vice-President-elect Joe Biden wave to the public after the winning the 2008 US presidential election - Source: Reuters -
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The Obama administration stepped up pressure on Israel's new government to accept the goal of a Palestinian state and halt expansion of Jewish settlements on occupied land.
Vice President Joe Biden urged Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu's right-leaning coalition to commit to a two-state
solution, hours before President Barack Obama met Israeli President
Shimon Peres to lay the groundwork for Netanyahu's visit later this
month.
Since coming to power in March, Netanyahu has balked at publicly
recognizing the Palestinians' right to eventual statehood, an
omission that has dismayed US, Arab and European officials.
"Israel has to work towards a two-state solution - you're not going to like my saying this - but not build more settlements, dismantle existing outposts and allow Palestinians freedom of movement," Biden told the leading US pro-Israel lobbying group.
His challenge to Israel, in a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, went further than remarks made by Obama in talks last month with Jordan's King Abdullah reiterating US support for Palestinian statehood.
Biden also urged the Palestinians to meet their obligations to "combat terror and incitement against Israel" and said Washington remained committed to its security.
Deepening his role in reviving stalled peace efforts, Obama held White House talks with Peres, who holds a largely ceremonial post but is widely admired as a Nobel Peace laureate. Obama was due to host Netanyahu on May 18 and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas later in the month.
In a speech by video-link to AIPAC on Monday, Netanyahu said he was ready to begin Israeli-Palestinian peace talks immediately but he made no reference to Palestinian statehood.
Obama has made clear his own commitment to a two-state solution, the basis for US Middle East policy for years. He has nudged Netanyahu on the issue but has taken care not to confront him head-on.
Talking to Iran
Peace talks have stalled amid continued Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank and persistent anti-Israeli violence.
The 2003 US-backed Middle East "road map," introduced by the Bush administration but widely ignored by both sides, called on Israel to halt settlement building and for the Palestinians to rein in militant attacks.
The international community considers settlements on occupied land to be illegal. Israel disputes this. Palestinians say continued settlement expansion undermines their aspirations for a state of their own.
Obama has pledged to make Middle East peace a high priority, in contrast to former President George W. Bush, who was widely accused of neglecting the conflict. Many Arabs also said the Bush administration was biased in favor of Israel.
Biden also focused on efforts to persuade Iran to abandon its nuclear program, which the United States and its allies see as cover for developing nuclear weapons. Israel considers Iran the biggest threat to its security. Iran says its nuclear program is for the peaceful production of electricity.
"We will pursue direct, principled diplomacy with Iran with the overriding goal of preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons," Biden said.
Israeli officials have voiced concerns about what they see as a
softening of Washington's approach to Tehran, and Israel has not
ruled out the use of military action against Iran's nuclear
facilities.
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