The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
|
For Immediate Release |
March 17, 2014 |
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney 3/17/2014
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
1:22 P.M. EDT
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Q. Just finally, can you give us more of a readout of the meeting with Abbas? Was there any chance the deadline that’s coming up for the framework could be extended? Or any indication that Abbas would recognize Israel as a Jewish state?
MR. CARNEY: We may have further information about the meetings today. Obviously, the President spoke at the top of the bilateral meeting about the discussion he looked forward to having, because this is such a pivotal time in this process, in the negotiations. As he did with Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Obama made clear that he appreciates the fact that both leaders have made tough decisions, but also underscored the fact that each leader has additional hard decisions to make in order to move this process forward.
When it comes to the matter of the Israeli state, our view is quite clear that this process can and must end in a result that has a sovereign Palestinian state and a safe, secure, democratic Jewish Israeli state. But we’re not going to get into the status of negotiations over these difficult issues. We want each side to press forward so that a framework for negotiations can be agreed to so the process can continue to move forward. These are tough issues.
It’s incumbent on both sides to try very hard to put the decades of mistrust if not behind them, then in context as they pursue the interests of their own people, the interests of the Palestinian state that will emerge from a resolution and a secure, democratic Jewish Israeli state that can emerge from a resolution.
As for the Palestinians, they have to recognize that the path to independence, sovereignty and security in their own state can only come through direct negotiations with Israel. We have the opportunity now to achieve that goal, but only if, as I said, hard choices are made. And we believe that, as is the case with Prime Minister Netanyahu, so it is with President Abbas: He is the right leader to make these hard choices and to bring about a peace agreement with Israel.
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Country: Israel, United States of America
Subject: Peace process, Peace proposals and efforts, Statehood-related
Publication Date: 17/03/2014