(Jerusalem Post/Reuters/Michael Wilner)
The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, told President Obama yesterday that Palestinians “are fully committed to the peace process so that we can reach a final settlement that ultimately will lead to the creation of an independent Palestinian state that would live side-by-side in peace and security with Israel.”
Abbas’ comments came during a meeting in New York with Obama over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the peace talks that have begun recently. Abbas also strongly condemned terrorism in the meeting saying that Palestinians knew there were difficulties to overcome but that they were committed to the process.
According to the Jerusalem Post, President Obama commented on the importance of the 1967 Green Line for negotiations as well as the importance of security provisions. He said, “The border of Israel and Palestine should be based on 1967 lines with mutually agreed-to swaps so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states with robust security provisions so that Israel retains the ability to defend itself, by itself, against any threats.”
President Obama is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel next week in Washington.
