The Obama administration signaled a tougher stance on Middle East relations Tuesday, pushing Israel to accept a permanent Palestinian state.
“Israel has to work toward a two-state solution,” Vice President Joe Biden told the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee annual conference. “This is show me a deal — not based on faith. Show me.”
President Barack Obama met privately with Israeli President Shimon Peres in the Oval Office, ahead of what is expected to be a more substantive visit later this month from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Biden told the pro-Israel lobbying group that Iran was exploiting the long-running conflict to expand its influence in the region and foment extremism. Israel has been looking for more assistance from the United States in halting Iran’s nuclear program.
“You’re not going to like my saying this,” Biden said, “but [do] not build more settlements — dismantle existing outposts and allow Palestinians freedom of movement.”
Netanyahu, the former prime minister who returned to office in March, has staked out a hard line on the peace process, refusing to support Palestinian statehood.
In his own remarks to AIPAC, delivered via satellite, Netanyahu said he was ready to resume peace negotiations without any preconditions — but his tone was far short of conciliatory. “We shall never compromise on Israel’s security,” he said. “For a final peace settlement to be achieved, the Palestinians must recognize Israel as the Jewish state.”
The Middle East conflict presents Obama with a challenge that has confounded each of his predecessors. In addition to Netanyahu, the president meets later this month with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
For his part, Abbas last week rejected the notion of a Jewish state — setting up a touchy scenario for Obama’s foray into Middle East peacemaking. Biden told AIPAC the administration would also hold Arab leaders accountable in the process.
“Now is the time for Arab states to make meaningful gestures to show the Israel leadership and the people the promise of ending Israel’s isolation in the region is real and genuine,” Biden said. “They must take action now.”
Obama made no remarks after his meeting with Peres, a Nobel Prize winner who occupies a largely ceremonial public office. Outside the White House, Peres told reporters that Netanyahu “does not intend to govern the Palestinian people.”
He indicated a willingness to resume progress on the Middle East road map, a Bush administration-era plan with the ultimate goal of two independent, side-by-side states.
“Mr. Netanyahu said that we will abide by the commitments of the previous government,” Peres said. “The previous government accepted the road map. In the road map, you will find the attitude to a two-state solution.”
The Obama administration this week is largely focused on foreign policy — on Wednesday, the president is to meet with leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan in an effort to stabilize the deteriorating security situation in the neighboring countries.
