Key Points from Obama's Speech
- Two-state solution should be based on pre 1967 borders with mutually agreed land swaps
- Empty Palestinian efforts to delegitimize Israel in UN are misguided and destined to fail
- The agreement between Fatah and Hamas raises "profound and legitimate questions" for Israel
- The Palestinian people should have the right to self-government in a "sovereign and contiguous" state.
- The policy of the United States is to promote reform across the Middle East and to support transitions to democracy there.
- Syrian President Bashar Assad can either lead genuine transition to political reform or step down
Washington, May 19 – In a wide-ranging speech about the Middle East, President Obama called on Israelis and Palestinians to return immediately to negotiations for a two-state solution along pre-1967 borders with land swaps, called on Palestinians to recognize Israel and warned Palestinians that their efforts to circumvent negotiations by going to the United Nations would not succeed in getting them a state of their own.
"For the Palestinians, efforts to delegitimize Israel will end in failure," Obama said. "Symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September won't create an independent state. Palestinian leaders will not achieve peace or prosperity if Hamas insists on a path of terror and rejection. And Palestinians will never realize their independence by denying the right of Israel to exist."
The President criticized the ongoing rocket attacks and other terrorist acts by Hamas and its allies and the long-standing Palestinian culture of hate.
"For the Palestinians, efforts to delegitimize Israel will end in failure," Obama said. "Symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September won't create an independent state. Palestinian leaders will not achieve peace or prosperity if Hamas insists on a path of terror and rejection. And Palestinians will never realize their independence by denying the right of Israel to exist."
The President criticized the ongoing rocket attacks and other terrorist acts by Hamas and its allies and the long-standing Palestinian culture of hate.
