President Barack Obama: No short cut to Mid East peace
US President Barack Obama has said that a "genuine peace" between Israel and the Palestinians can only come through negotiations leading to an agreement between the two parties themselves.
"Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the UN," he told the General Assembly.
His comments came amid tensions in New York, where a Palestinian bid for UN membership has provoked strong criticism from Jerusalem.
He said that each side in the conflict had "legitimate aspirations" - for Israel to its maintain security and the Palestinians to have their own state - but there could be "no short cut" to achieve this.