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President Barack Obama has said on a visit to the West Bank that the US is "deeply committed" to creating a sovereign state of Palestine.
Speaking after talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, he said Israeli settlement activity was not "appropriate for peace".
Secretary of State John Kerry would, he added, devote time and energy to trying to bring the two sides closer.
Mr Abbas said the talks in Ramallah had been "good and useful".
Continue reading the main story
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The journey from Jerusalem to Ramallah is just a few miles and President Obama made it by helicopter. The distance may have been short but there was a difficult corner to turn.
The self-proclaimed greatest friend of Israel was here to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. After several hours of talks Mr Obama told reporters that he remained deeply committed to an independent state of Palestine. But Palestinians will be sceptical. Such words have been uttered before.
Today there was a reminder of how complex the region's most intractable conflict is and also of how Mr Abbas does not speak for all Palestinians. Militants fired rockets into Israel from Gaza where Mr Abbas' rivals Hamas are in power. Mr Obama is spending just a few hours in the West Bank before heading back to Israel. Gaza is not on the itinerary.
However, Palestinian expectations of Mr Obama's visit have been low, analysts say.
The three-day visit is Mr Obama's first to Israel and the West Bank as president.
After his meeting with Mr Abbas, which lasted slightly longer than scheduled, he said there were "irritants" on both sides but that direct negotiations were the best solution for Israel and the Palestinians.
"The Palestinian people deserve an end to occupation and the daily indignities that come with it," he said in Ramallah.
On the troubled proposal for a two-state solution, Mr Obama said: "I absolutely believe that it is still possible but I think it is very difficult.
"Put simply, Palestinians deserve a state of their own," he said.
He accepting the two sides had strong disagreements, but urged them to pursue an agreement nonetheless, saying: "I think we can keep pushing through some of these problems and make sure that we don't use them as an excuse not to do anything."
Mr Abbas said the Palestinian side expected Israel to stop building settlements if it wanted to engage in talks.
Thanking the US administration for its continuing support for the Palestinian Authority, Mr Abbas said peace with Israel should not be achieved through violence, occupation, settlements, arrests or denial of refugee rights.
About 150 protesters were kept away from the Palestinian president's compound by police.
Continue reading the main story
On Thursday morning, Israeli officials said two rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, but there were no reports of anyone being hurt. A further two rockets fired from Gaza reportedly fell inside Gaza itself.
Mr Abbas condemned "violence against civilians, whatever its source, including the firing of rockets", according to a Palestinian spokesperson.
On Wednesday Mr Obama pledged America's strong support for Israel as he met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution.
Mr Obama said a central element of securing a lasting peace in the Middle East "must be a strong and secure Jewish state where its security concerns are met, alongside a sovereign and independent Palestinian state".
Mr Netanyahu said his new government, sworn in this week, remained "fully committed to peace and the solution of two states" and that he hoped Mr Obama's visit would "turn a page" in relations with the Palestinians.
source: BBC News - Obama says US backs independent Palestinian state
Speaking after talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, he said Israeli settlement activity was not "appropriate for peace".
Secretary of State John Kerry would, he added, devote time and energy to trying to bring the two sides closer.
Mr Abbas said the talks in Ramallah had been "good and useful".
Continue reading the main story
\
The journey from Jerusalem to Ramallah is just a few miles and President Obama made it by helicopter. The distance may have been short but there was a difficult corner to turn.
The self-proclaimed greatest friend of Israel was here to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. After several hours of talks Mr Obama told reporters that he remained deeply committed to an independent state of Palestine. But Palestinians will be sceptical. Such words have been uttered before.
Today there was a reminder of how complex the region's most intractable conflict is and also of how Mr Abbas does not speak for all Palestinians. Militants fired rockets into Israel from Gaza where Mr Abbas' rivals Hamas are in power. Mr Obama is spending just a few hours in the West Bank before heading back to Israel. Gaza is not on the itinerary.
However, Palestinian expectations of Mr Obama's visit have been low, analysts say.
The three-day visit is Mr Obama's first to Israel and the West Bank as president.
After his meeting with Mr Abbas, which lasted slightly longer than scheduled, he said there were "irritants" on both sides but that direct negotiations were the best solution for Israel and the Palestinians.
"The Palestinian people deserve an end to occupation and the daily indignities that come with it," he said in Ramallah.
On the troubled proposal for a two-state solution, Mr Obama said: "I absolutely believe that it is still possible but I think it is very difficult.
"Put simply, Palestinians deserve a state of their own," he said.
He accepting the two sides had strong disagreements, but urged them to pursue an agreement nonetheless, saying: "I think we can keep pushing through some of these problems and make sure that we don't use them as an excuse not to do anything."
Mr Abbas said the Palestinian side expected Israel to stop building settlements if it wanted to engage in talks.
Thanking the US administration for its continuing support for the Palestinian Authority, Mr Abbas said peace with Israel should not be achieved through violence, occupation, settlements, arrests or denial of refugee rights.
About 150 protesters were kept away from the Palestinian president's compound by police.
Continue reading the main story
On Thursday morning, Israeli officials said two rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, but there were no reports of anyone being hurt. A further two rockets fired from Gaza reportedly fell inside Gaza itself.
Mr Abbas condemned "violence against civilians, whatever its source, including the firing of rockets", according to a Palestinian spokesperson.
On Wednesday Mr Obama pledged America's strong support for Israel as he met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution.
Mr Obama said a central element of securing a lasting peace in the Middle East "must be a strong and secure Jewish state where its security concerns are met, alongside a sovereign and independent Palestinian state".
Mr Netanyahu said his new government, sworn in this week, remained "fully committed to peace and the solution of two states" and that he hoped Mr Obama's visit would "turn a page" in relations with the Palestinians.
source: BBC News - Obama says US backs independent Palestinian state
