Obama in Israel talks after row over borders

In a speech on Thursday, Mr Obama called for a Palestinian state next to Israel based on the borders that existed before the 1967 Six Day War, when Israeli forces occupied east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.

Mr Netanyahu gave the speech a cold reception, describing the suggestion as “indefensible”.

Mr Obama wants Israel and the Palestinians to restart stalled peace talks but Mr Netanyahu has warned that a withdrawal from the West Bank would leave Israel vulnerable to attack.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has planned to convene a meeting with senior officials as soon as possible to decide on the next steps.

Mr Abbas is determined “to give President Obama’s effort and that of the international community the chance they deserve,” a spokesman said.

The US and even past Israeli governments have endorsed a settlement based on the 1967 lines, but Mr Netanyahu rejected a full withdrawal from the West Bank, saying the 1967 lines would leave major Jewish settlements outside Israel.

Mr Obama said he would support agreed-upon territorial swaps between the Israel and the Palestinians, leaving the door open for Israel to retain major West Bank settlements, where the vast majority of its nearly 300,000 Jewish settlers live.