Obama Meets with Palestinian Leader

JERUSALEM — U.S. President Barack Obama has called on Israelis and Palestinians to begin peace talks on core issues of their conflict without waiting for those disputes to be resolved in advance.

Obama made the appeal Thursday at a joint news conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, the latest stop of his first presidential visit to Israel and the West Bank. The two leaders met for just under two hours in a room decorated with American and Palestinian flags.  Secretary of State John Kerry was among U.S. officials joining Obama in the talks.

Israel considers Abbas its only Palestinian partner in efforts to achieve a two-state solution, in contrast with Hamas militants controlling Gaza whom Israel calls terrorists. But ongoing Israeli settlement construction in lands Palestinians claim as their own remains a major stumbling block to direct talks.

Obama reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the goal of two states, living in security and peace.  He acknowledged Palestinian frustration, but said there is no short cut to a solution.

"I understand that the status quo isn't really a status quo because the situation on the ground continues to evolve and makes it harder to reach a two state solution, and I know that the Palestinian people are deeply frustrated," he said.

"So one of my main messages today, the same message I am conveying in Israel, is that we cannot give up, we cannot give up on the search for peace no matter how hard it is," said Obama.

The president praised Abbas for institution building in the West Bank, which he said stands in stark contrast to Gaza, where he said Hamas continues to refuse to renounce violence and enforces "rigid dogmas."

Israeli Settlements 

President Abbas called the issue of Israeli settlements, which he said the world recognizes as illegal, a continuing major hurdle blocking a two state solution.

"It is the duty of the Israeli government to at least halt the activity, so that we can speak of issues, and when we define our borders and their borders together, each side will know its territory in which it can do whatever it pleases," he said.

Abbas said younger Palestinians no longer trust the two state solution. If peace with Israel can be achieved, he said, Israel knows that Arab and Islamic states would immediately recognize the state of Israel.

Obama condemned the firing of rockets Thursday into southern Israel from Gaza, saying such attacks bolster Israeli concerns about any peace deal. Abbas was quoted as issuing a statement condemning attacks on civilians.He also said he made clear to Israeli leaders that continued settlement activity does not advance the cause of peace. 

But he  emphasized to both sides the importance of pushing through disagreements to get to direct talks.

"What I shared with President Abbas and I will share with the Palestinian people is that if the expectation is that we can only have direct negotiations when everything is settled ahead of time, then there is no point for negotiations," he said. "So, I think it is important for us to work through this process even if there are irritants on both sides."

Obama also said he wants to ensure that all parties get to "core issues" and try to rebuild confidence and trust.

Part of the goal of his trip, he said, is to assess how Israeli leaders and President Abbas would structure a potential path back to direct negotiations.  He said incremental steps that serve to delay discussion of fundamental issues, rather than help to shape a broad-based agreement, will only extend the Israel-Palestinian conflict.