Context
Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu thanked US President Barack Obama on Wednesday for opposing Palestine’s statehood bid in the UN General Assembly. The Israeli president praised his counterpart for seeing negotiations as the way to peace. He said the US president was “wearing a badge of honor” and he hoped other States would follow America’s example. In a joint press conference between the two leaders in New York, President Obama said that the pursuit of long lasting peace was “compatible with Israel’s needs” and “puts Israel’s security at the forefront.”
Obama is also expected to meet Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas later on Wednesday to discuss Palestine’s bid for statehood.
