Obama Welcomes Peace Talks But Warns ‘Hard Choices Remain Ahead’

Image by getty images

By Reuters July 29, 2013

President Barack Obama welcomed Israeli-Palestinian talks starting in Washington later on Monday but cautioned that a tough path lies ahead.

“This is a promising step forward, though hard work and hard choices remain ahead,” Obama said in a statement.

“I am hopeful that both the Israelis and Palestinians will approach these talks in good faith and with sustained focus and determination,” he said.

“The United States stands ready to support them throughout these negotiations, with the goal of achieving two states, living side by side in peace and security.”

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO