Jordan Times
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Local press welcomes
Obama’s stand on Mideast conflict
By Mohammad Ghazal
AMMAN - His Majesty King Abdullah's meeting with US President Barack Obama was
the focus of editorials in the country's press on Wednesday, with many
highlighting the two countries' commitment to the two-state solution as key to
ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The editorials also addressed Obama’s support for the 2002 Arab Peace
Initiative, emphasising King Abdullah's "Pan-Arab mission" to convey a unified
Arab stance to the US administration. In remarks to the press Tuesday following
his meeting with King Abdullah, Obama said he is a strong supporter of a
two-state solution, pinpointing his country's support for the Arab peace
overture, which offers Israel normalisation with the Arab world in return for
withdrawal from Arab territories it occupied in 1967. "The Arab Peace Initiative
is very constructive," he said.
Al Rai's editorial said the Monarch's meeting with Obama was the focus of Arab
and international media as King Abdullah was at the White House to convey the
unified Arab position aiming to resolve the decades-old Palestinian-Israeli
conflict.
In its editorial, the newspaper shed light on the King's effective role in
helping bring about peace in the region and urging the US to be effectively
involved in finding a solution to the conflict, reporting that Obama's
invitation to Egyptian, Palestinian and Israeli leaders to visit Washington for
separate talks clearly shows the positive outcome of the King's effort.
Ad Dustour newspaper described the visit of King Abdullah, the first Arab leader
to hold talks with Obama, as historic, saying it comes at a crucial time.
The daily emphasised that Obama’s commitment to the Arab peace plan and the
two-state solution is of great significance as it comes at a time witnessing the
rise of an extremist right-wing government in Israel. This goverment has refused
to recognise Palestinians as peace partners and rejected the Annapolis accords,
under which Palestinian-Israeli negotiations were relaunched to include final
status issues, such as the fate of Jerusalem and a solution to the refugee
problem, added the paper.
Al Arab Al Yawm's editorial said Obama’s decision to stress his commitment to
the two-state solution and to welcome the Arab Peace Initiative is a significant
indicator of the importance of the King's trip.
The newspaper added that Obama's clear endorsement of the two-state solution is
a response to recent remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who have both shown opposition to
the Arab Peace Initiative and the creation of a viable and independent
Palestinian state.