The United States on Sunday hailed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech about the creation of a Palestinian state as "an important step forward. "
"The president (Barack Obama) welcomes the important step forward in Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement when he commented Netanyahu's two-state speech, Xinhua reported.
Reiterating President Obama's commitment to two states, a Jewish state of Israel and an independent Palestine, Gibbs said: " He (Obama) believes this solution can and must ensure both Israel' s security and the fulfillment of the Palestinians' legitimate aspirations for a viable state, and he welcomes Prime Minister Netanyahu's endorsement of that goal."
"The president will continue working with all parties -- Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Arab states, and our Quartet partners -- to see that they fulfill their obligations and responsibilities necessary to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict and a comprehensive regional peace," the White House statement said.
In his announcement of Israel's latest foreign policy on Sunday, Netanyahu presented three conditions for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. The three conditions are the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, demilitarization of future Palestinian state and the support of the international community.
"If we receive this guarantee we will be ready to accept a demilitarized Palestinian state alongside the Jewish one," Netanyahu said in his foreign policy speech at Bar Ilan University, adding that "Jerusalem would remain the unified capital of Israel. "
The prime minister also urged the Palestinians to resume Middle East peace talks without preconditions.