Obama: Time’s right for renewed effort for peace in Middle East

May 18, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES

President Barack Obama on Tuesday called for progress in solving the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians as part of the wave of change sweeping through the Mideast.

Speaking after a White House meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Obama said resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict was vital. Obama is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, a day after he addresses the United States on Middle East policy, including the pro-democracy uprisings and related issues.

“We also discussed the situation with respect to the Israel and the Palestinian conflict, and we both share the view that despite the many changes or perhaps because of the many changes that are taking place in the region, it is more vital than ever that both Israelis and Palestinians find a way to get back to the table and begin negotiating a process whereby they can create two states that are living side by side in peace and security,” Obama said.

Peace efforts have been stalemated for months on questions including the construction of Israeli settlements, prompting the Palestinians to consider going to the United Nations in the fall to seek official recognition for a unilateral declaration of statehood.

Complicating the situation is a recent agreement designed to heal the breach between the Palestinian groups running the West Bank and Gaza. The United States, Israel and the West consider Hamas, which runs Gaza, to be a terrorist group.

In his speech Thursday, Obama is expected to discuss the issues that have marked the recent turmoil in the region where pro- democracy groups have toppled governments in Tunisia and Egypt, shaken rulers in Syria, Bahrain and Yemen and have led to civil warlike conditions in Libya.