Obama: Israel’s ‘Rightward Shift’ Under Netanyahu Has Made Peace More Difficult

OBAMA: "I came into this office wanting to do everything I could to encourage serious peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. We invested a lot of energy, a lot of time, a lot of effort first year, second year, all the way into last year. Ultimately, what has always been clear is that we cannot force the parties to arrive at peace. What we can do is facilitate, provide a platform, encourage. But we can't force them to do it. But in light of shifts in Israeli politics and Palestinian politics, a rightward drift in Israeli politics, a weakening of president Abbas's ability to move and take risks on behalf of peace in the Palestinian territories, in light of all the dangers that have emerged in the region, and the understandable fears that Israelis may have about the chaos and rise of groups like ISIL and the deterioration of Syria, in light of all those things, what we at least wanted to do, understanding that the two parties wouldn't actually arrive at a final status agreement, is to preserve the possibility of a two state solution, because we do not see an alternative to it. And I have said this directly to Prime Minister Netanyahu. I've said it inside of Israel. I've said this to Palestinians as well."