Obama urges Israel to stop settlement expansion

U.S. President Barack Obama says he will continue pushing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to freeze the expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

U.S. President Barack Obama is reflected twice in a mirror as he  participates in a Democratic party fundraiser at the Beverly Hilton  Hotel in Los Angeles May 27, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

He made the remark during a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the White House on Thursday to discuss the Mid-East peace process. Obama is also urging Israel to recognize the two-state solution. But he is also calling on the Palestinians to put an end to anti-Israel violence.

President Abbas has said he will NOT resume peace talks with the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu until it stops settlement activities and accept the two-state solution.