.jpg)
U.S. President Barack Obama has said Turkey, among other countries in the region, could play a positive role in the Middle East peace process once questions over a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla were settled, Anadolu news agency reported.
"I think what's important right now is that we break out of the current impasse, use this tragedy as an opportunity so that we figure out, how can we meet Israel's security concerns, but at the same time start opening up opportunity for Palestinians, work with all parties concerned -- the Palestinian authority, the Israelis, the Egyptians and others -- and I think Turkey can have a positive voice in this whole process once we've worked through this tragedy. And bring everybody together to figure out how can we get a two-state solution where the Palestinians and Israelis can live side by side in peace and security." Obama told CNN's Larry King.
Israeli commandos stormed the Gaza flotilla in a predawn raid on May 31, killing nine people -- eight of them are Turkish nationals -- wounding many others.
Obama said the United States, with the other members of the U.N. Security Council had expressed very clearly that they condemned all the acts that led up to this violence.
"It was a tragic situation. You've got loss of life that was unnecessary. So we are calling for an effective investigation of everything that happened. I think the Israelis are going to agree to that -- an investigation of international standards -- because they recognize that this can't be good for Israel's long-term security," Obama said.
Obama said Israel had legitimate security concerns however adding that the Gaza blockage prevented people from having "an opportunity for the future."
"Here's what we've got. You've got a situation in which Israel has legitimate security concerns when they've got missiles raining down on cities along the Israel/Gaza border. I've been to those towns and seen the holes that were made by missiles coming through people's bedrooms. Israel has a legitimate concern there. On the other hand you've got a blockage up that is preventing people in Palestinian Gaza from having job opportunities and being able to create businesses and engage in trade and have opportunity for the future," Obama said.
Responding to a question whether it was premature to condemn Israel, Obama said "I think that we need to know what all the facts are. But it's not premature to say to the Israelis and to say to the Palestinians, and to say to all the parties in the region that the status quo is unsustainable. We have been trying to do this piecemeal for decades now. It just doesn't work.
"You've got to have a situation in which the Palestinians have real opportunity and Israel's neighbors recognize Israel's legitimate security concerns and are committed to peace," he said.