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http://www.haaretz.com Obama at UN: Israel should extend settlement freeze United States President Barack Obama called on Israel to extend its moratorium on settlement building while speaking at a United Nations meeting on Thursday. "Israel's settlement moratorium has made a difference on the ground," Obama said while addressing world leaders from 192 member nations at the UN annual ministerial meeting in New York. The Obama administration has been extremely involved in a new effort to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the region last week for a second round of direct talks between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The U.S.-brokered direct talks face a major test at the end of this month when Israel's 10-month partial moratorium on new construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is set to end. "Our position on this issue is well known. We believe that the moratorium should be extended," Obama said. He added that the moratorium has improved the atmosphere of the peace talks, which he said should press on until they are completed. He called on Arab states to support the Palestinians within the framework of the peace talks and move toward normalizing relations with Israel. "Many in this hall count themselves as friends of the Palestinians," Obama said. "But these pledges must now be supported by deeds." "We can waste more time by carrying forward an argument that will not help a single Israeli or Palestinian child achieve a better life. We can do that," he said. "Or, we can say that this time will be different - that this time we will not let terror, or turbulence, or posturing, or petty politics stand in the way." "If an agreement is not reached, Palestinians will never know the pride and dignity that comes with their own state. Israelis will never know the certainty and security that comes with sovereign and stable neighbors who are committed to co-existence," "The hard realities of demography will take hold. More blood will be shed. This Holy Land will remain a symbol of our differences, instead of our common humanity." "When we come back here next year, we [could] have an agreement that will lead to a new member of the United Nations – an independent state of Palestine, living in peace with Israel." The U.S. president defended Israel's right to exist, and expressed the United States' support for its ally. "Those who long to see an independent Palestine rise must stop trying to tear Israel down," Obama said. "Israel’s existence must not be a subject for debate. Israel is a sovereign state, and the historic homeland of the Jewish people," Obama said. "It should be clear to all that efforts to chip away at Israel’s legitimacy will only be met by the unshakeable opposition of the United States." Obama condemned the bloodshed surrounding the conflict, and lauded Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for engaging in talks instead of violence. "And efforts to threaten or kill Israelis will do nothing to help the Palestinian people – the slaughter of innocent Israelis is not resistance, it is injustice. Make no mistake: the courage of a man like President Abbas – who stands up for his people in front of the world – is far greater than those who fire rockets at innocent women and children." "The conflict between Israelis and Arabs is as old as this institution… We can waste more time by carrying forward an argument that will not help a single Israeli or Palestinian child achieve a better life…Or, we can say that this time will be different." |
