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Obama: U.S. can’t impose peace

April 14, 2010

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- President Obama said the United States could not impose peace on the Middle East.  

"I think that the need for peace between Israelis and Palestinians and the Arab states remains as critical as ever," Obama said Tuesday. "It is a very hard thing to do. And I know that even if we are applying all of our political capital to that issue, the Israeli people through their government, and the Palestinian people through the Palestinian Authority, as well as other Arab states, may say to themselves we are not prepared to resolve this -- these issues -- no matter how much pressure the United States brings to bear.  

"And the truth is," he continued, "in some of these conflicts the United States can’t impose solutions unless the participants in these conflicts are willing to break out of old patterns of antagonism."

Obama's comments, coming at the end of a 47-nation summit aimed at containing the threat of nuclear terrorism, appeared aimed at tamping down recent reports that his administration would introduce its own take-it-or-leave-it plan by the fall.

The president said he would nonetheless doggedly pursue peacemaking.

"What we can make sure of is that we are constantly present, constantly engaged, and setting out very clearly to both sides our belief that not only is it in the interests of each party to resolve these conflicts but it’s also in the interest of the United States," he said.

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