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Obama to Meet With Palestinian Leader as Diplomacy Deadline Looms Obama Meets With Palestinian Leader as Diplomacy Deadline Looms
(about 5 hours later)
WASHINGTON — President Obama will meet President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority at the White House on Monday, amid signs that the peace process has hit a roadblock over Israel’s insistence that the Palestinians formally recognize it as a Jewish state. WASHINGTON — President Obama met with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority at the White House on Monday, amid signs that the peace process has hit a roadblock over Israel’s insistence that the Palestinians formally recognize it as a Jewish state.
Mr. Obama, thrusting himself back into the talks as the deadline for the latest round of diplomacy looms, plans to urge Mr. Abbas to sign on to a framework accord for a final round of negotiations, a senior administration official said on Sunday. Mr. Obama, thrusting himself back into the talks as the deadline for the latest round of diplomacy looms, urged Mr. Abbas to sign on to a framework accord for a final round of negotiations, a senior administration official said on Sunday.
Two weeks ago, Mr. Obama made a similar case to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, pleading with both sides to accept the document being drafted by Secretary of State John Kerry.Two weeks ago, Mr. Obama made a similar case to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, pleading with both sides to accept the document being drafted by Secretary of State John Kerry.
But in recent weeks, the distance between the two seems to have widened over the question of Israel’s status as a nation-state for the Jewish people. Mr. Netanyahu has said Palestinian recognition of that is a prerequisite for a deal; Mr. Abbas has adamantly refused.But in recent weeks, the distance between the two seems to have widened over the question of Israel’s status as a nation-state for the Jewish people. Mr. Netanyahu has said Palestinian recognition of that is a prerequisite for a deal; Mr. Abbas has adamantly refused.
The White House does not expect Mr. Obama to persuade Mr. Abbas to reverse his position in the Monday meeting, said the senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. He said the president would be looking for signs of flexibility – that Mr. Abbas “is willing to take some risks for the framework.” The White House did not expect Mr. Obama to persuade Mr. Abbas to reverse his position in the Monday meeting, said the senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. He said the president would be looking for signs of flexibility – that Mr. Abbas “is willing to take some risks for the framework.”
“When you get down to the final stages, you get to the core issues of identity for both sides,” the official said. “The question is, what formulas can you come up with in the framework that would allow people to make tough decisions?”“When you get down to the final stages, you get to the core issues of identity for both sides,” the official said. “The question is, what formulas can you come up with in the framework that would allow people to make tough decisions?”
The framework would set general terms on issues like Israeli security and the borders of a Palestinian state, which the two sides would use to come to a comprehensive agreement.The framework would set general terms on issues like Israeli security and the borders of a Palestinian state, which the two sides would use to come to a comprehensive agreement.
Mr. Kerry, testifying before the House last week, expressed frustration that Israel’s Jewish identity had once again emerged as a potential deal-breaker, given, he said, that the United Nations has recognized Israel as a Jewish state, as did Yasir Arafat, the former leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, on two occasions.Mr. Kerry, testifying before the House last week, expressed frustration that Israel’s Jewish identity had once again emerged as a potential deal-breaker, given, he said, that the United Nations has recognized Israel as a Jewish state, as did Yasir Arafat, the former leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, on two occasions.
“I think it’s a mistake for some people to be raising it again and again as the critical decider of their attitude toward the possibility of a state and peace,” Mr. Kerry said.“I think it’s a mistake for some people to be raising it again and again as the critical decider of their attitude toward the possibility of a state and peace,” Mr. Kerry said.
That drew fire from Israeli officials, including Moshe Yaalon, the defense minister and a hard-line member of Mr. Netanyahu’s conservative Likud Party. In an interview on Israeli television, he said he disagreed with Mr. Kerry’s remarks “in the most unequivocal way.”That drew fire from Israeli officials, including Moshe Yaalon, the defense minister and a hard-line member of Mr. Netanyahu’s conservative Likud Party. In an interview on Israeli television, he said he disagreed with Mr. Kerry’s remarks “in the most unequivocal way.”
“We cannot make an agreement without the other side recognizing our right to exist as the nations-state of the Jewish people within any borders,” Mr. Yaalon said.“We cannot make an agreement without the other side recognizing our right to exist as the nations-state of the Jewish people within any borders,” Mr. Yaalon said.
Mr. Kerry was also criticized in Israel recently for suggesting that the country would face deepening isolation, including a growing boycott movement, if it did not strike a peace deal.Mr. Kerry was also criticized in Israel recently for suggesting that the country would face deepening isolation, including a growing boycott movement, if it did not strike a peace deal.
On Sunday, between meetings over the Ukraine crisis, Mr. Kerry held a preparatory meeting with Mr. Abbas, urging him “to make the tough decisions that will be necessary in the weeks ahead,” according to a senior State Department official.On Sunday, between meetings over the Ukraine crisis, Mr. Kerry held a preparatory meeting with Mr. Abbas, urging him “to make the tough decisions that will be necessary in the weeks ahead,” according to a senior State Department official.
“He also reiterated that we are at a pivotal time in the negotiations and while these issues have decades of history behind them, neither party should let tough political decisions stand in the way of a lasting peace,” the State Department official said.“He also reiterated that we are at a pivotal time in the negotiations and while these issues have decades of history behind them, neither party should let tough political decisions stand in the way of a lasting peace,” the State Department official said.
When he began the current negotiations last summer, Mr. Kerry set a deadline of April for a deal. But as hopes for that have faded, he has defaulted to the a framework, which, if agreed to, would enable him to extend the talks until the end of 2014.When he began the current negotiations last summer, Mr. Kerry set a deadline of April for a deal. But as hopes for that have faded, he has defaulted to the a framework, which, if agreed to, would enable him to extend the talks until the end of 2014.