U.S. President Barack Obama has hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House for talks aimed at ending the decades-long Israel-Palestine conflict.
Speaking prior to their meeting on Monday, Obama praised the Palestinian leader for his efforts to broker a political settlement.
“He has been somebody who has consistently renounced violence [and] has consistently sought a diplomatic and peaceful solution that allows for two states, side-by-side in peace and security,” he said, adding that the bulk of their discussions would focus on a seeking a comprehensive settlement to the conflict.
The U.S. has set April as a deadline to get Tel Aviv and Ramallah to agree to a framework for final status negotiations.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has led the crafting of a document which has reportedly hit significant opposition from both sides.
Continued sticking points include the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state by the Palestinians.
Abbas impressed the urgency of the matter, saying, "We don't have any time to waste. Time is not on our side, especially given the very difficult situation that the Middle East is experiencing and the entire region is facing, and we hope that we would [be] able to seize this opportunity to achieve a lasting peace.”
He also said there was an “historic opportunity to achieve peace.”
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