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| Obama presses Netanyahu over two-state plan | Obama presses Netanyahu over two-state plan |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has urged visiting Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a Palestinian state. | US President Barack Obama has urged visiting Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a Palestinian state. |
| After their first talks since both took office, Mr Obama restated his support for a two-state plan and said the US would be "engaged in the process". | After their first talks since both took office, Mr Obama restated his support for a two-state plan and said the US would be "engaged in the process". |
| He also said Israel had an obligation under the 2003 "roadmap" to stop Jewish settlement in the West Bank. | He also said Israel had an obligation under the 2003 "roadmap" to stop Jewish settlement in the West Bank. |
| Mr Netanyahu said he was ready to start peace talks "immediately" but refrained from endorsing a Palestinian state. | Mr Netanyahu said he was ready to start peace talks "immediately" but refrained from endorsing a Palestinian state. |
| After their meeting in Washington, Mr Obama said: | After their meeting in Washington, Mr Obama said: |
| "I suggested to the prime minister that he has a historic opportunity to get a serious movement" on Palestinian statehood. | "I suggested to the prime minister that he has a historic opportunity to get a serious movement" on Palestinian statehood. |
| Mr Netanyahu said Israel was ready to live "side-by-side" with Palestinians. | Mr Netanyahu said Israel was ready to live "side-by-side" with Palestinians. |
| I firmly believe it is not in Iran's interest to develop nuclear weapons Barack Obama | |
| He also said he was ready to resume talks immediately but said any agreement depended on Palestinian acceptance of Israel's right to exist "as a Jewish state". | He also said he was ready to resume talks immediately but said any agreement depended on Palestinian acceptance of Israel's right to exist "as a Jewish state". |
| "I want to make it clear that we don't want to govern the Palestinians. We want to live in peace with them, we want them to govern themselves, absent a handful of powers that can endanger the state of Israel." | "I want to make it clear that we don't want to govern the Palestinians. We want to live in peace with them, we want them to govern themselves, absent a handful of powers that can endanger the state of Israel." |
| The BBC's Kim Ghattas in Washington says Mr Obama was clearly putting the onus on Mr Netanyahu to accept a Palestinian state. | |
| The differences between the two men are still there, she says, adding that the meeting has given Mr Obama an opportunity to assess how big the gap is, and how he can move forward ahead of meetings with Egyptian and Palestinian leaders next week. | |
| Nuclear Iran | |
| The two leaders also discussed Iran during their talks, lasting more than two hours. | The two leaders also discussed Iran during their talks, lasting more than two hours. |
| Mr Obama said "it is not in Iran's interest" to develop nuclear arms, and that the US would keep options open. | Mr Obama said "it is not in Iran's interest" to develop nuclear arms, and that the US would keep options open. |
| He stressed that "we should have some sense by the end of the year" on whether talks with Iran were bearing fruit. | He stressed that "we should have some sense by the end of the year" on whether talks with Iran were bearing fruit. |
| Israel believes that a nuclear-armed Iran was a threat to its existence. | Israel believes that a nuclear-armed Iran was a threat to its existence. |
| Amid reports from Israel that the authorities were moving ahead with plans to expand a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, Mr Obama said Israel had an obligation to stop Jewish settlement activity. | Amid reports from Israel that the authorities were moving ahead with plans to expand a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, Mr Obama said Israel had an obligation to stop Jewish settlement activity. |
| Tenders have been issued to build 20 housing units in Maskiot, a former Israeli military base that has been designated for housing settlers removed from Gaza in 2005. | Tenders have been issued to build 20 housing units in Maskiot, a former Israeli military base that has been designated for housing settlers removed from Gaza in 2005. |
| Israeli campaign group Peace Now says this is a clear message to Washington that the Israeli government intends to expand settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. | Israeli campaign group Peace Now says this is a clear message to Washington that the Israeli government intends to expand settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. |