Former President Barack Obama emphasized the decades-long challenges in achieving a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
“…All of this is taking place against the backdrop of decades of failure to achieve a durable peace for both Israelis and Palestinians, one that is based on genuine security for Israel, a recognition of its right to exist and a peace that is based on an end of the occupation and the creation of a viable state and self determination for the Palestinian people,” Obama said on Friday during the Obama Foundation Democracy Forum.
On Friday, the Obama Foundation hosted its Democracy Forum, where Former President Obama, alongside activists, thought leaders, and changemakers, engaged in discussions about the issues presented by technological innovations such as AI concerning economic and social inclusion.
Furthermore, Former President Obama also conveyed his acknowledgment that it was impossible to remain dispassionate in the face of the ongoing carnage, noting the difficulty in feeling hopeful.
“We’ve had to sort through our anguish, our outrage our fears and our differences on the issues. Not so much differences in the outcome we wish for… And the issue is not a wish for different outcomes. An end to the killing, a peaceful coexistence between two sovereign and free peoples, but rather different assessments of the path that we need to take in order to get there,” Obama added.
On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border, killing and abducting people in neighboring Israeli communities.
Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to more than 2 million people, cutting off supplies of water, food, and fuel. The blockade was later eased to allow trucks with humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The escalation of the conflict has resulted in thousands of people killed and injured on both sides.
