United States President Barack Obama's special assistant, Dennis Ross said Wednesday that bold steps need to be taken to make sure that Israel remains a Jewish Democratic state, but emphasized that no one can force an agreement on Israel and the Palestinians. Speaking at the Presidential Conference in Jerusalem, Ross said the greatest danger Israel faces today is sitting aside and waiting for something to happen. In order to stop the delegitimization of Israel in the world, Ross said that Israel must return to the negotiating table.
Ross and U.S. diplomat David Hale are due to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his advisers to push for the renewal of Mideast peace talks.
Ross reiterated Obama's outline for Middle East peace talks, based on the 1967 borders with mutually agreed land swaps, saying that the agreement should also take into account the demographic changes that have occurred in the last 44 years.
The U.S. diplomat stressed that neither Obama nor any other country can force the Israelis and the Palestinians to reach an agreement, as it is up to the two sides.
