WASHINGTON — President Obama tired to jump start the stalled Middle East peace process at a meeting Monday with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but instead got schooled by Bibi on the unyielding roadblocks to a deal.
At the Oval Office meeting, Obama prodded Netanyahu to more quickly make the “tough decisions” needed for an agreement before the US-imposed April deadline.
But Netanyahu wouldn’t be hurried.
“The people of Israel expect me . . . to stand strong against criticism, against pressure, stand strong . . . to secure the future of the one and only Jewish state,” he said at a press appearance before the closed-door meeting.
It’s the first time Obama personally intervened in the failing peace process. He’ll meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House later this month.
“It is still possible to create two states, a Jewish state of Israel and a state of Palestine, with people living side by side in peace and security,” Obama asserted. “But it’s difficult. It requires compromise on all sides.”
Netanyahu wouldn’t budge from the key demand that the Palestinian Authority recognize Israel as a Jewish state — a demand Palestinians flatly refuse.
“The Palestinians expect us to recognize a Palestinian state for the Palestinian people,” he said. “I think it’s about time they recognize a nation state for the Jewish people. We’ve only been there for 4,000 years.”
For Palestinians, a major sticking point is the demand for a return to the 1967 border that existed before Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu has refused that demand. He has signaled a willingness to give up some territory, but wants to keep strategic outposts and large blocs of settlements. At the White House, Netanyahu outlined Israel’s concessions during 20 years of negotiations, including giving up occupied territories and settlements.
“When you look at what we got in return, it’s been scores of suicide bombings, thousands of rockets on our cities fired from the areas we vacated, and just incessant Palestinian incitement against Israel. Israel has been doing its part, and I regret to say that the Palestinians haven’t,” he said. “We just cannot be brought back again to the brink of destruction,” he told Obama. “And I . . . will do whatever I must do to defend the Jewish state.”
Netanyahu also threatened that Israel will act if Obama’s diplomatic effort doesn’t stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb.