Obama Says Mideast Turmoil Adds Urgency to Push for Peace Accord

Bloomberg, By Catherine Dodge and Nicholas Johnston - Apr 5, 2011

President Barack Obama said turmoil in the Mideast that has already toppled governments in Egypt and Tunisia increases the urgency for a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

Obama, speaking to reporters after a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, said the two agree that the changes in the region are “both a challenge and an opportunity.”

“It’s more urgent than ever that we try to seize the opportunity to create a peaceful solution between the Palestinians and the Israelis, and he has some very interesting ideas around those issues,” Obama said of Peres, without elaborating.

The visit of Peres to Washington comes as Jerusalem officials are seeking approval to build almost 1,000 new apartments in the eastern part of the city where Palestinians and the U.S. government have objected to Israeli construction.

Palestinians consider the site a West Bank settlement because it was captured by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Middle East war. Israel has incorporated the area into Jerusalem’s municipal boundaries, a move not internationally recognized.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says he won’t resume peace negotiations with Israel unless it halts all settlement construction, including in east Jerusalem.

The construction has caused friction between the U.S. and Israel.

“The United States is deeply concerned by continuing Israeli actions with respect to settlement construction,” Tommy Vietor, spokesman for Obama’s National Security Council, said in a statement. “Not only are continued Israeli settlements illegitimate, Israel’s actions run counter to efforts to resume direct negotiations.”

To contact the reporters on this story: Catherine Dodge in Washington at cdodge1@bloomberg.net; Nicholas Johnston in Washington at njohnston3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Silva at msilva34@bloomberg.net

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