General

Obama lays out opposition to Palestinian bid for statehood

U.S. president calls for a return to negotiating table

Barack Obama formally declared the U.S. would not support the Palestinian Authority’s bid for statehoood in a speech before the U.N.’s general assembly. The U.S. president urged the international community to pressure Palestinians and Israelis to re-open peace talks. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has already rejected Obama’s proposal and called for the General Assembly to grant the Palestinian Authority observer status. “Let us cease our endless debates on the parameters,” Sarkozy told the U.N. less than an hour after Obama spoke. “Let us begin negotiations and adopt a precise timetable.”

New York Times

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