pbel
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- Feb 26, 2012
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Analysis: Israeli settlements at core of conflict
JERUSALEM (AP) On his short helicopter ride from Jerusalem to the West Bank, President Barack Obama flew over sprawling Jewish settlements a reminder of Israel's ongoing construction on war-won land in defiance of much of the world and a major hurdle to renewing Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
Palestinian officials said Mahmoud Abbas' main message to Obama in their meeting Thursday is that the Palestinian president can't return to talks on drawing a border between Israel and a future Palestine while Israel unilaterally shapes that line through accelerated settlement expansion.
At the same time, Palestinians doubt Obama is willing to spend the domestic political capital required to pressure Israel to halt construction something he briefly tried at the beginning of his first term, before backing down when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resisted.
JERUSALEM (AP) On his short helicopter ride from Jerusalem to the West Bank, President Barack Obama flew over sprawling Jewish settlements a reminder of Israel's ongoing construction on war-won land in defiance of much of the world and a major hurdle to renewing Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
Palestinian officials said Mahmoud Abbas' main message to Obama in their meeting Thursday is that the Palestinian president can't return to talks on drawing a border between Israel and a future Palestine while Israel unilaterally shapes that line through accelerated settlement expansion.
At the same time, Palestinians doubt Obama is willing to spend the domestic political capital required to pressure Israel to halt construction something he briefly tried at the beginning of his first term, before backing down when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resisted.
