th** ** in the news in voa special engl**h.
president obama d**cussed the political unrest in the middle east and north africa in a speech thursday in washington.
barack obama:"we support political and economic reform in the middle east and north africa that can meet the legitimate aspirations of ordinary people throughout the region.our support for these principles ** not a secondary interest.today i want to make it clear that it ** a top priority that must be translated into concrete actions and supported by all of the diplomatic,economic and strategic tools at our d**posal.
the president announced new aid to help democracy efforts in egypt and tun**ia.the leaders of both countries were overthrown earlier th** year.
and m**ter obama strongly condemned syria's president,bashar al-assad.
barack obama:"president assad now has a choice:he can lead that transition,or get out of the way.the syrian ** must stop shooting demonstrators and allow peaceful protests.it must release political pr**oners and stop unjust arrests.it must allow human rights monitors to h**e access to cities like dara'a,and start a seriousdialogue to advance a democratic transition.
mr.obama linked the protests in the arab world to unmet economic needs.
barack obama:"after all,politics alone has not put protesters into the streets.the tipping point for so many people ** the constant concern of putting food on the table and providing for a family.too many in the region wake up with few expectations other than making it through the day,and perhaps the hope that their luck will change.
the president also said he d**agrees with people who argue that moving forward on a middle east peace plan ** not possible now because of all the change taking place.in h** words,"the drive for a lasting peace that ends the conflict and resolves all claims ** urgent than ever.
mr.obama g**e h** support to a major palestinian demand.he said the borders of **rael and a future palestine should be based on lines that ex**ted before the nine** sixty-seven middle east war.**rael captured areas including the west bank,east jerusalem and the gaza strip during the six-day war with egypt,jordan and syria.
mr.obama said there should be conditions that would involve land exchanges between **rael and the palestinians.
barack obama:"the united states believes that negotiations should result in two states,with permanent palestinian borders with **rael,jordan and egypt,and permanent **raeli borders with palestine.we believe the borders of **rael and palestine should be based on the nine** sixty-seven lines with mutually agreed swaps,so that secure and recognized borders are establ**hed for both states.
on friday,president obama met with **raeli prime min**ter benjamin netanyahu at the white house.mr.netanyahu said he values mr.obama's efforts and that **rael ** willing to make"generous comprom**es for peace."but he said **rael cannot go back to the nine** sixty-seven lines.
those lines,he said,are"indefensible."he says an **raeli withdrawal from some of the areas gained during the six-day war would le**e major jew**h settlements in the west bank outside of **rael.
hanna siniora ** a member of the palestine national council from east jerusalem.he pra**ed mr.obama for talking in detail about borders,saying it was an important point for the palestinians.
hanna siniora:"we heard all american admin**trations talk about unshakeable security for **rael.we are not against security for **rael,but we are asking at the same time for security for the palestinians,and th** can only happen if the border between the two states ** defined.
and that's in the news in voa special engl**h.i'm steve ember.