Obama vows terror attacks won’t derail peace talks

President Obama on Wednesday condemned Hamas for condoning the “senseless slaughter” of four Israelis in the West Bank and insisted that he would not allow such terrorist acts to derail the latest round of peace talks.

Speaking on the first day of the talks, Obama said there had been progress and he condemned the attack on Tuesday by a Palestinian gunman, who killed four passengers in an Israeli vehicle traveling near the West Bank city of Hebron. Hamas, regarded as a terrorist group by the West, claimed responsibility.

“There are going to be extremists and rejectionists who, rather than seeking peace, are going to be seeking destruction,” said Obama, with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side. “And the tragedy that we saw yesterday where people were gunned down on the street by terrorists who are purposely trying to undermine these talks is an example of what we’re up against.

“I want everybody to very clear,” the president said. “The United States is going to be unwavering in its support of Israel’s security, and we are going to push back against these kinds of terrorist activities.”

Netanyahu was even more critical of the terrorist attacks.

“Four innocent people were gunned down and seven new orphans were added, by people who have no respect for human life and trample human rights into the dust and butcher everything that they oppose,” Netanyahu said.

Obama spoke after meeting with Netanyahu. He met later in the day with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whom Obama said also condemned the attack.

[Updated at 12:40 p.m.: Obama and Abbas left their bilateral talks at the Oval Office and made their way down the walkway toward Abbas’ motorcade on the South Lawn. The two talked and gestured as if they were in friendly, substantive conversation.

“We are making progress,” Obama told pool reporters.

Had the talks been productive, he was asked.

“Yes,” Obama replied, but gave no details.]

[Updated 1:43 p.m.: Obama met privately with Abbas for 46 minutes then administration advisers joined the pair for another 34 minutes. The president then met one-on-one with Jordan’s Kind Abdullah II for 15 minutes and with the larger delegation for 13 minutes.]

The Obama administration is seeking to reignite direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians in their first face-to-face negotiations since December 2008.

In addition to meeting with Netanyahu and Abbas, Obama held meetings with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak before the entire group attends a White House dinner Wednesday night. Jordan and Egypt are the Arab nations that already have agreements with Israel.

But the heart of the diplomatic foray will be Thursday when Israel and Palestinians begin their direct talks. Hopes for the resumption of talks are high, but the expectations remain low since the Israel-Palestinian situation has been a flash point for generations. Noticeably absent will be Hamas, which controls Gaza while Abbas and his allies control the West Bank.

One key immediate issue will be the Palestinians’ demand that Israel extend a 10-month freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank. The freeze expires on Sept. 26.

Later this afternoon, Obama and the visiting leaders will deliver statements to the press in the East Room. This evening, the president is set to host a working dinner for the visiting leaders in the Family Dining Room of the White House. This dinner is private, with no television cameras allowed.