On Saturday, President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the efforts of the United States to form a peace deal between Israel and Palestine. Following the agreement with Iran on its nuclear program, the United States is showing a greater presence in Middle Eastern conversations, and Kerry mentioned a two-state resolution as being within grasp. “Peace is possible today,” said Kerry, adding that Israeli and Palestinian leaders are “as determined as ever” to reach a resolution.
“I think it’s possible in the next several months to arrive at a framework that does not address every single detail, but gets us to a point where everybody recognizes better to move forward than move backwards,” Obama said. “I think that we’re now at a place where we can achieve a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians are living side-by-side in peace and security, but it’s going to require some very tough decisions.”
And despite noble efforts on the part of the U.S., Obama commented that eventually it will be solely in the hands of Israel and Palestine to form a long-lasting peace. “The only way this is going to be resolved is if the people of Israel and the Palestinian people make a determination that their futures and the futures of their children and grandchildren will be better off with peace than with conflict,” Obama said. “The U.S. can be an effective facilitator of that negotiation and dialogue. We can help to bridge differences and bridge gaps. But both sides have to want to get there.”
