Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


         Obama Enters Middle East Peace Efforts in Talks with Netanyahu

   by VOA News

   President Barack Obama will attempt to break an impasse in the latest
   efforts to reach a final Middle East peace accord when he hosts Israeli
   Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House Monday.
   Obama will try to convince Netanyahu to agree to a framework on a final
   round of negotiations that would lead to the creation of a Palestinian
   state existing side-by-side with Israel. U.S. Secretary of State John
   Kerry launched a new round of peace talks last July, with the goal of
   reaching a final agreement by next month. But the Obama administration
   revised the goal as the talks stalled
   In an interview published Sunday by Bloomberg View, Obama warned that
   "time is running out" for Israel to reach a final accord with the
   Palestinians. He said if the peace talks fail, the U.S. would be unable
   to defend Israel from a backlash on the international stage, including
   a growing threat of boycotts and diplomatic isolation.
   Nonetheless, Netanyahu told reporters before his departure for
   Washington that Israel will continue to reject what he called the
   "various pressures" to reach a deal.
   Among the issues to be resolved are the status of Jerusalem, Jewish
   settlements in the West Bank ,Palestinian refugees and final borders.
   The Palestinians are demanding that Israel base the final borders on
   lines drawn before Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east
   Jerusalem during military conflicts in 1967.
   Obama will hold a follow up meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister
   Mahmoud Abbas on March 17 at the White House.
   The two leaders are also expected to discuss the ongoing negotiations
   between the West and Iran over the Islamic republic's nuclear program.
   Israel says Tehran is building a nuclear weapon that could threaten the
   existence of the Jewish state, and Netanyahu wants the United States
   and its allies to take a tougher stand in the negotiations.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-enters-middle-east-peace-effort
   s-in-talks-with-netanyahu/1862760.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-enters-middle-east-peace-efforts-in-talks-with-netanyahu/1862760.html