Politics · Saudi Arabia · 4 hrs ago
Obama Says Israel Took Palestinian Land and Calls for a Lasting End to Conflict
Former US President Barack Obama criticized Israel’s treatment of Palestinians during a discussion in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
He said Israel had taken land from Palestinians and gone too far, while recognizing that Jewish people faced centuries of persecution, including in Europe.
Obama said a genuine ceasefire is needed for long-term solutions, citing hostility toward Israel after the October 7 attack.
He warned that relying on military strength and making no concessions might work briefly but could cost Israel its moral standing.
He said millions of Israelis and Palestinians will remain in the region, and urged Israelis to consider how future generations can live there.
Obama also said Palestinians should look to nonviolent ways to bring change, while acknowledging that this would take time.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama said Israel had taken Palestinian land and acted excessively.
Speaking in Belfast, he said the loss of land was an injustice Palestinians understandably wanted to reverse.
Obama said military strength without concessions might work in the short term but would cost Israel moral ground.
He called for a real end to the conflict as a condition for long-term solutions.
He said millions of Jews and Palestinians would remain in the region and urged both sides to consider nonviolent change.
- Who
- Former U.S. President Barack Obama.
- What
- He criticized Israel’s actions over Palestinian land and urged a lasting end to the conflict.
- When
- Tuesday; the exact date was not stated.
- Where
- Belfast, Northern Ireland, during a discussion with journalist Susan McKay.
- Why
- He said a real end to the conflict was needed for long-term solutions and warned that relying on strength without concessions risks moral damage.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Obama spoke with journalist Susan McKay in Belfast about Israel, Palestinians and the conflict.
Obama received an honorary doctorate from Queen’s University Belfast.
- Speaker
- Barack Obama, former U.S. president
- Location
- Belfast, Northern Ireland
- University
- Queen’s University Belfast
- Discussion partner
- Susan McKay
- Palestinian population cited
- 7 million Palestinians in the region
3 sources
What people are saying
That is undeniable. What is also undeniable is that they took land off people and they were excessive. And those people understandably said: ‘This is injustice and I want my land back,’
That may work short-term... but you have ceded moral ground if that is the position you take.
I would say the current Israeli government appears to have taken that. It is incumbent on them to recognise that 7 million Palestinians are not going anywhere,
It is not sustainable to press upon them a condition that no-one would accept for themselves.