(JPOST).After holding separate meetings with the Palestinian and Israeli leaders, US President Barack Obama held a tripartite meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York on Tuesday afternoon.
In a statement to the press at the opening of the tripartite meeting, the US president stressed that "despite all the obstacles, and history," Washington believes "permanent status negotiations must begin, and begin soon."
Obama urges the sides to make efforts to achieve a peace agreement. "It's to time to show the flexibility, common sense and compromise which is necessary to achieve our goals," he said.
Obama reiterated that "the United States is committed to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, which will result in two states living side by side - Palestine and Israel," adding that "it remains important for the Arab states to take steps to promote peace in the region."
Promising that US special Mideast envoy George Mitchell would yet again head to the region next week, the president added that leaders in the Middle East could not continue "the same patterns, taking tentative steps forward, then taking steps back."
Following his remarks, both Netanyahu and Abbas shook hands - the first time the gesture was made between the two leaders.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, National Security Council head Uzi Arad, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Mitchell also took part in the meeting.
In a statement to the press at the opening of the tripartite meeting, the US president stressed that "despite all the obstacles, and history," Washington believes "permanent status negotiations must begin, and begin soon."
Obama urges the sides to make efforts to achieve a peace agreement. "It's to time to show the flexibility, common sense and compromise which is necessary to achieve our goals," he said.
Obama reiterated that "the United States is committed to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, which will result in two states living side by side - Palestine and Israel," adding that "it remains important for the Arab states to take steps to promote peace in the region."
Promising that US special Mideast envoy George Mitchell would yet again head to the region next week, the president added that leaders in the Middle East could not continue "the same patterns, taking tentative steps forward, then taking steps back."
Following his remarks, both Netanyahu and Abbas shook hands - the first time the gesture was made between the two leaders.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, National Security Council head Uzi Arad, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Mitchell also took part in the meeting.