Obama hails Netanyahu move

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By Nicholas Kralev

President Obama on Monday welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's acceptance of a future Palestinian state, saying it boosted prospects for new peace talks.

But U.S. officials distanced the administration from conditions outlined by the Israeli leader in a speech Sunday.

Mr. Obama said Mr. Netanyahu had demonstrated the "possibility we can restart serious talks."

The president made his remarks after a White House meeting Monday afternoon with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

On Mr. Netanyahu's speech, Mr. Obama said he was hesitant to analyze the situation based on commentaries but said, "Overall, I thought there was positive movement."

Mr. Obama acknowledged that Mr. Netanyahu placed several conditions on his view of Palestinian statehood but noted, "That's exactly what negotiations are supposed to be about."

"Both sides are going to have to move in some politically difficult ways in order to achieve what is going to be in the long-term interests of the Israelis and the Palestinians and the international community," he said.

For Israel, he said, "that means a cessation of settlements." For the Palestinians, it means an "end to violence" against Israel.

Earlier in the day, administration officials declined to discuss Mr. Netanyahu's conditions that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state and that their own state be demilitarized though they hinted they do not support them.

"In terms of what Prime Minister Netanyahu said yesterday, we have our [own] policy," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters. "But our goal remains the same: two states living side by side in security and prosperity."