REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JERUSALEM -- US President Barack Obama on Tuesday called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to show his support for the two-state solution with deeds rather than words.
Obama told Israel's Channel 2 that "it would require actions, not words" to reinstate the faith in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.
Netanyahu made recent statements, in meetings with European counterparts, in which he said he still supports the two-state solution, with a demilitarized Palestinian state alongside a Jewish state.
The Israeli leader did not specify what actions he plans to take in order to reach a solution based on the two-state solution.
In the interview, Obama commented it seems Netanyahu's words aim not to resume the peace process but rather to keep the status quo of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict intact, specifically mentioning Netanyahu's statements prior to the March 17 elections, in which he stated there would be no Palestinian state on his watch.
"When (Netanyahu) spoke before the elections he was unequivocal saying it won't happen under his leadership," Obama said.
"I think subsequently his statements (after the elections) suggest there is a possibility of a Palestinian state, but there are so many caveats, so many conditions that it's not realistic to think that these conditions would be met in the near future," the US president added.
The US leader also said that while the United States remains Israel's strongest ally and would continue to assist it in matters of defense and intelligence sharing, it would be difficult to protect Israel on the diplomatic arena amid Netanyahu's election-trail comments.
"Israel as a whole loses credibility and the international community doesn't believe Israel is serious about the two-states solution," the President said. "Up until this point we have pushed away against European and other efforts on behalf of the Palestinians because we asked them to be patient as there was a process," he said.
"Now, if there are additional resolutions in the United Nations, if there's no prospect of an actual peace process it becomes more difficult to argue with those who are concerned about the settlement construction and the current situation. They only need to point out his statements and say there's no process," Obama added.
President Obama said the United States needs to work with Israel, the Palestinians and the international community to see how "to change a hopeless situation into a hopeful one," albeit admitting he "doesn't see the likelihood" of a framework agreement between Israel and the Palestinians in the time remaining for him as president.
He added that the US interest in resolving the conflict and have the region as a whole focus on the dangerous front against the IS (Islamic State) militant organization.
The last round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian ended abruptly last April. Since then, Israel had suffered growing criticism and isolation on the international level due to its continuing construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem of Jewish settlements (on lands purported to be part of a future Palestinian state), as well its nationalist legislation and an explosive security situation.
The Palestinians, on their part, led a series of diplomatic moves in order to unilaterally end the occupation and establish a Palestinian state. Several European countries have recently expressed their support of the Palestinian cause.
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