Obama: Palestinians "deserve their own state"

Source: B92, Beta, Tanjug

RAMALLAH, LONDON -- The U.S. is "deeply committed" to the creation of an "independent, sovereign state of Palestine," President Barack Obama has said during his visit to Ramllah.

Barack Obama and Mahmoud Abbas (Beta/AP)

"Put simply, Palestinians deserve a state of their own," he said at news conference after talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, BBC has reported.
Abbas said he and Obama had held "good and useful" talks in Ramallah.

“The U.S. is obligated to form two states. We seek an independent, viable and contiguous Palestinian state as the homeland of the Palestinian people alongside a Jewish state of Israel so both sides can enjoy peace and prosperity. The only way to achieve that is through direct talks,” the U.S. president was quoted as saying by Israeli daily Haaretz.

Obama, who is visiting Palestinian territories for the first time, was welcomed by Abbas and numerous Palestinian officials. After he had arrived to the West Bank, he and Abbas discussed the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Some 150 Palestinian demonstrators gathered in Ramallah to protest against Obama's visit. They were held back by mass ranks of police who prevented them from nearing Abbas's compound, where Obama’s aircraft landed.

Palestinians, as well as Israelis yesterday, prepared a red carpet for Obama but expectations are low, analysts say.

Expectations are low for any type of breakthrough on the peace process. Obama says he is focused on hearing from both parties on what it will take to restart negotiations, AP has reported.

Two rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel on Thursday morning, Israeli officials say, but there were no reports of anyone being hurt. A further two rockets fired from Gaza reportedly fell inside Gaza itself.

Obama on Wednesday spoke to Israeli officials who said they were satisfied with their guarantees regarding the Iranian nuclear program.

“The president made a firm promise that he will work against the Iranian nuclear program and on strengthening of military and diplomatic cooperation between the U.S. and Israel,” said Israeli International Relations Minister Yuval Steinitz.

He added that Obama had announced a beginning of talks on the continuation of the U.S. military help to Israel after 2017.

“It is important the help is not conditioned by a demand that Israel should give up on its right to self-defense,” Steinitz said.

Obama said he did not expect Israel to rely on Washington in case Iran attacked but added that he did not know “whether Israelis would make such a decision”.