Obama says peace hopes ‘dim,’ creating ‘dangerous’ situation

Obama rebuffs Netanyahu’s claims that his issue was with the conditions not being there for a Palestinian state, saying that the creation of a two-state solution is a process that will address Israel’s concerns.

“The issue has never been ‘do you create a Palestinian state overnight.’ The issue is ‘do you create a process and a framework that gives the Palestinians hope, the possibility that down the road they have a secure state of their own standing side by side with a secure and fully recognized Jewish state of Israel,” he says.

“It’s not just my estimation, but it’s hard to envision how that happens based on the prime minister’s statements,” he adds.

“Up until this year the premise has been … as difficult as it was, as challenging as it was, the possibility of two states living side by side in peace and security could marginalize more extreme elements, bring together folks at the center with some common sense, and we could resolve what has been a vexing issue and one that is ultimately a threat to Israel as well,” he says.

“And that possibility seems very dim, and that may trigger then reactions by the Palestinians that in turn elicits counter reactions by the Israelis and that could end up leading to a downward spiral for relations that will be dangerous for everybody and bad for everybody.”

Obama goes on to say that the US is still committed to Israel’s security and keeping Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region.

He also says no decision will made about shifting Washington’s policy of shielding Israel at the United Nations until the government is formed.