Obama tells Netanyahu to offer concessions to achieve peace

During a meeting between the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama at the White House on Monday, Obama told the Israeli leader to take difficult decisions to push forward the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.

Obama affirmed that the two-state solution is still possible, and so is the chance for both Palestinian and Israeli nations to live together in peace; however, he also warned that in order for this outcome to be realised, then there first needs to be more concessions.

“The timeframe that we have set up for completing these negotiations is coming near and some tough decisions are going to have to be made,” he said.

The US president stressed that these concessions will not only achieve peace but also reinforce Israel’s security in the Middle East.

Netanyahu struck a defiant tone in response, telling the US president that the Israelis are expecting him “to remain steadfast in the face of any pressures or criticism.” At the same time, he accused the Palestinians of not taking any steps towards lowering the tensions.