Biden urges Israel to accept two states

US: US Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged Israel’s new right-leaning government to stop building settlements in the West Bank and accept negotiations for a Palestinian state.

Biden also asked Arab states to start moving toward ending Israel’s isolation as President Barack Obama and his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres met for talks here.

It was the first summit between the close allies since Benjamin Netanyahu was elected Israel’s premier, and Obama took over in January as US president.

“Israel’s security is non-negotiable. Period,” Biden told some 6,500 delegates to the annual conference of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee, which calls itself the most influential foreign policy lobby in Washington.

“But Israel has to work toward a two-state solution,” Biden said in the most forceful language the Obama administration has used so far to set out what it expects both from Israel and Arab nations.

“You’re not going to like my saying this but (do) not build more settlements, dismantle existing outposts and allow Palestinians freedom of movement,” Biden told the audience, which nonetheless applauded him.

WASHINGTON, Wednesday, AFP