US Affirms Commitment To Mideast Peace, Two-State Solution

The United States affirmed on Friday it is continuing efforts for comprehensive peace and two-state solution in the Middle East.

“All I can tell you is what the policy of the United States and the Obama administration is. We continue our efforts to pursue comprehensive peace in the Middle East”, said Assistant Secretary of State for public affairs Philip Crowley in a press briefing.

“We are squarely focused on trying to help the Israelis and the Palestinians achieve a framework agreement and ultimately a two-state solution. We are strong advocates of a viable Palestinian state, and we are strong advocates of a state of Israel that can live in peace and security with its neighbors”, he added.

Crowley was responding to statements by the member of Palestinian Fatah’s Central Committee, Nabil Shaath, who reportedly said in a statement today that the United States is not to be trusted in the peace process.

Crowley noted that the US administration is “determined to continue this effort. And the best way that the parties can advance this process is to return to direct negotiations. That is what why we are trying to do”, he added.

“Our view is that the only way to resolve the core issues is through direct negotiations. And any other efforts are sideshows that we do not think will be successful”, he added.

Asked about the possibility of the Palestinians if going to the United Nations General Assembly to pursue the reinstatement of Resolution 181, Crowley replied “we do not believe that will be a successful strategy”.

Meanwhile. US envoy George Mitchell’s assistant David Hale is in the region since yesterday to meet with Palestinian and Israeli officials.

“We have not stopped doing what we are doing, it may not be evident every single day, but we continue to work with the parties to try to narrow the existing differences. We understand that they exist. We understand this is going to be hard”, concluded Crowley.