US Vice President Joe Biden called on Israel Tuesday to back a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians and urged an end to settlement expansion, according to dpa. Biden also called on Israel to ease restrictions that limit Palestinian movement during a speech before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israeli lobbying group in Washington. "Israel has to work toward a two-state solution," Biden said. "You're not going to like my saying this, but (Israel should) not build more settlements, (but) dismantle existing outposts and allow the Palestinians freedom of movement." Biden stressed that the United States is committed to the security of Israel. "Israel's security in non-negotiable. Period," Biden said. He also called on the Palestinians to stop violence against Israel. "The Palestinian Authority must combat terror and incitement against Israel," Biden said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stopped short of endorsing Palestinian statehood, placing him at odds with President Barack Obama, who adopted former president George W Bush's policy of a two-state solution as the centerpiece of a final settlement. Obama was to meet later with Israeli President Shimon Peres, who addressed the organization on Monday. Netanyahu spoke to the group via satellite earlier on Tuesday, saying the he was ready to enter immediate negotiations with the Palestinians without preconditions. "The political track means that we are prepared to resume peace negotiations without any delay and without any preconditions, the sooner the better," he said. But his failure to talk of a two-state solution drew sharp rebukes from Palestinians. A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in the West Bank that Netanyahu's remarks were "ambiguous and not enough." "Commitment to peace means actual recognition of the two-state solution and halting settlement activities," Nabil Abu Rudeineh said. Netanyahu, the leader of the conservative Likud party and a traditional sceptic of Palestinian statehood, took office in March after assembling a coalition with the ultra-nationalist Israel Beiteinu party, leaving him less wiggle room to agree to a Palestinian state. Obama has invited Netanyahu and Abbas to a meeting at the White House in the future. Biden said Iran's nuclear activities are a "dangerous" threat and pointed to the Islamic state's destabilizing influence in the region with its backing of Hezbollah and Hamas. He said the United States plans to engage Iran diplomatically under "mutual respect," a move that will help build stronger international support to punish Tehran if it rejects overtures aimed at resolving the standoff over its nuclear programme.
