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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| US presses Israel over two states | US presses Israel over two states |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| US Vice-President Joe Biden has said Israel must back a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians. | US Vice-President Joe Biden has said Israel must back a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians. |
| Mr Biden also called for an end to Jewish settlement-building - one of the Palestinians' key demands. | Mr Biden also called for an end to Jewish settlement-building - one of the Palestinians' key demands. |
| Israel's recently-elected right-wing government has so far resisted calls to publicly support Palestinian statehood. | Israel's recently-elected right-wing government has so far resisted calls to publicly support Palestinian statehood. |
| Mr Biden's remarks came hours before Israeli President Shimon Peres and US President Barack Obama were due to hold talks in the US capital. | Mr Biden's remarks came hours before Israeli President Shimon Peres and US President Barack Obama were due to hold talks in the US capital. |
| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet President Obama later this month. | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet President Obama later this month. |
| Obama's pledge | Obama's pledge |
| Addressing the main US Israel lobby, the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), Mr Biden said Israel must take concrete measures. | Addressing the main US Israel lobby, the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), Mr Biden said Israel must take concrete measures. |
| Palestinians say there is no hope for reviving talks until settlement building stops | Palestinians say there is no hope for reviving talks until settlement building stops |
| "Israel has to work toward a two-state solution. You're not going to like my saying this but not build more settlements, dismantle existing outposts and allow Palestinians freedom of movement." | "Israel has to work toward a two-state solution. You're not going to like my saying this but not build more settlements, dismantle existing outposts and allow Palestinians freedom of movement." |
| Mr Biden also said Palestinian militants must halt violent attacks against Israel and release immediately Gilad Shalit - an Israeli soldier seized in a cross-border raid into Israel from the Gaza Strip in 2006. | |
| On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Aipac that he was willing to resume peace talks with the Palestinians without any delay or preconditions. | On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Aipac that he was willing to resume peace talks with the Palestinians without any delay or preconditions. |
| Speaking by a satellite link-up, he said political talks should be part of a "fresh" triple-track approach also covering economic and security issues. | Speaking by a satellite link-up, he said political talks should be part of a "fresh" triple-track approach also covering economic and security issues. |
| However, he made no mention of a Palestinian state as part of a peace settlement. | However, he made no mention of a Palestinian state as part of a peace settlement. |
| The Obama administration has made clear its commitment to pursuing a two-state solution "vigorously". | The Obama administration has made clear its commitment to pursuing a two-state solution "vigorously". |