U.S. President Barack Obama was quoted in a television interview on Thursday as saying the deadly Gaza flotilla incident was "tragic," but expressing hope it could somehow provide an opening to boost Middle East peace efforts.
In an interview with CNN's Larry King Obama said Israel "has legitimate security concerns" about the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
But he also said Israel's blockade of Gaza "is preventing people" from pursuing economic opportunities," CNN reported in an excerpt of what will be broadcast in full later on Thursday.
Obama said the most recent incident presents an opportunity for all parties involved to break out of the current impasse and move toward a two-state solution in which Palestinians and Israelis can live peacefully side by side.
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"We have been trying to do this piecemeal for decades now," Obama said. "It just doesn't work."
In an interview with CNN's Larry King Obama said Israel "has legitimate security concerns" about the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
But he also said Israel's blockade of Gaza "is preventing people" from pursuing economic opportunities," CNN reported in an excerpt of what will be broadcast in full later on Thursday.
Obama said the most recent incident presents an opportunity for all parties involved to break out of the current impasse and move toward a two-state solution in which Palestinians and Israelis can live peacefully side by side.
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"We have been trying to do this piecemeal for decades now," Obama said. "It just doesn't work."