Jewish leaders say that during White House meeting president said Palestinians 'don't feel confident that Netanyahu government serious about territorial concessions'
WASHINGTON – US President Obama this week called on Jewish leaders to speak to their colleagues in Israel and to “search your souls” over Israel's seriousness about making peace, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported Wednesday.
According to participants, Obama told the Jewish leaders that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is eager to secure his legacy by establishing a Palestinian state and would accept a decent offer if one were on the table.
“The Palestinians don't feel confident that the Netanyahugovernment is serious about territorial concessions,” the president reportedly said.
Obama also reportedly said that the Jewish sections of Jerusalem would remain in Israeli hands as part of any peace deal, but that the Arab sections would not.
JTA reported that in an hour-long meeting at the White House Tuesday with some 50 representatives from the Jewish community’s chief foreign policy umbrella group, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Obama reiterated the US commitment to Israel.
The Jewish leaders noted the president's affirmation of his "deep commitment to Israel's security," according to JTA.
Several participants at the meeting told JTA that the president also implied that Israel bears primary responsibility for advancing the peace process. They interpreted the president’s comments as either hostile, naive or unsurprising.
“Many people felt that their worst fears about Obama were confirmed with respect to Israel,” one participant was quoted as saying by JTA. “They felt an enormous hostility towards Israel.”
However, other participants disagreed and said meeting was a positive one. According to JTA, they described the president as “thoughtful” and “forthcoming” in his remarks, and said no new ground was broken.
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