President Obama met the Israeli Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, and President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, to reinvigorate peace talks between the two countries on Tuesday 23 September. The meeting took place in New York during the UN General Assembly.

During an interview with Sky News David Miliband commented on the importance of this meeting and the longer term goal of securing lasting peace in the Middle East and why it is vital that the wider world support all efforts to achieve stability in the Middle East.

He said:

'I think it’s very important to get the degree of presidential engagement that Barack Obama is now showing. I think we all know that there’ll never be stability in the Middle East until the issue of justice and security for Palestinians and, and Israelis is addressed through a Palestinian state that can live alongside Israel. 

It’s a very clear goal, President Obama has said it in the United States’ national interest. It’s certainly in our national interest and that’s why we’re supporting him very strongly in trying to find common ground to allow us to move towards that goal.

I think we have a very important role in supporting first of all the security improvements that the Palestinians themselves have been making on the West Bank. I think that’s been a significant change that has impressed Israelis as well as Americans.

Secondly, we obviously offer economic support to the Palestinians because their humanitarian situation is very dire. But thirdly and importantly we need to ensure that there is a political process and we add our voice in support of what the Americans are leading. 

But they’re very consciously leading it with the support of the whole international community, not just Europeans, but also Russia and the Arab world as well.'

In answer to how optimistic expectations of an agreement between Israel and Palestine are David Miliband said:

'I think you can never give up hope when the facts on the ground so clearly point to the only way for these people to live together is side by side in two states. I’m not going to offer you any glib optimism today. There’s been forty years or more of suffering and that’s the last, glib optimism is the last thing that anyone needs. 

However, we have the President of the United States, newly elected in his first year determining to lead an international coalition to sort out this problem and that’s why I think it’s very well worth out effort, putting our shoulder to the wheel to support him.'

Ahead of the UN General Assembly, Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis commented on the Middle East Peace Process and voiced support for President Obama's approach to seeking a peaceful solution to the situation in the region. His comments were made during an interview with the US publication Forward. He said:

‘Great Britain is a very warm friend of Israel, but that doesn’t mean that we agree with every policy of Israel. The only way forward is through a secure and viable Palestinian state, emphasis on secure and viable. It must be accompanied by the Arab world’s normalization of ties with Israel. There is no alternative, other than eternal conflict.'

He also urged the Jewish Community both in the US and in the wider world to support President Obama’s approach on the MEPP. He said:

'True Zionists should support rapid progress towards a negotiated two-state solution and normalized relations with the Arab world as the best way of securing Israel’s future. They should support President Obama, safe in the knowledge that no settlement will be promoted or accepted which puts Israeli security at risk.'

Notes for Editors

Read more about the Middle East Peace Process

United Nations website

Back to newsroom

Back to top