WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama warned Tuesday that political turmoil battering the Middle East made it “more vital than ever” that Israel and the Palestinians get back to the negotiating table. Despite a mood of deep pessimism surrounding Obama's peace drive, in Israel, in Washington and in the Palestinian territories, the president said during a meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II that frozen talks must be revived. “Despite the many changes, or maybe because of the many changes that have been taking place in the region, it's more vital than ever that both Israelis and Palestinians find a way to get back to the table,” Obama said. Talks, broken off last year because of a row over Jewish settlement building, should “begin negotiating a process whereby they can create two states living side by side in peace and security,” Obama said. The Jordanian king thanked Obama for his support for “the core issue of the Middle East, which is the Israeli-Palestinian peace,” and promised to move “aggressively” on domestic reform in Jordan. While Jordan has not seen regime altering protests like Egypt and Tunisia, there have been demonstrations in Amman and some violent clashes, amid rising popular discontent and demands for reform. A government-sponsored reform effort has slowed while various groups have demanded an electoral law that would lead to a parliamentary government and elected prime minister rather than one appointed by the king. – Agence France
