UK calls on US to show leadership in Israel-Palestine conflict
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| London
British Foreign Secretary William Hague on Sunday urged the聽聽to take a more active role in seeking a lasting settlement between Israelis and Palestinians, warning of a "final chance" for a two-state solution.
Eight days of fighting between聽聽and Palestinians in the聽-ruled enclave of聽听诲颈惫别谤迟别诲 U.S. President Barack Obama's attention to the聽聽as he toured聽聽on his first trip abroad after this month's election.
Hague told the BBC it was "time for a huge effort on the聽聽peace process."
"This is what I have been calling for, particularly calling for the聽聽now after their election to show the necessary leadership on this over the coming months, because they have crucial leverage with聽聽and no other country has," Hague said.
"We're coming to the final chance maybe for a two state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," he added.
U.S. Secretary of State聽聽broke off from Obama's tour of聽聽to help negotiate a ceasefire between听补苍诲听聽to end this month's bout violence.
Recent U.S. efforts to coax the Palestinians and Israelis back into negotiations to agree a long term peace have failed, and talks are set become even more fraught if the Palestinians succeed in securing recognition as an "observer state".
A vote on the diplomatic upgrade could take place later this month at the U.N. General Assembly, and if successful would implicitly recognise Palestinian statehood.聽聽and the聽聽oppose the move and call for a return to talks.
The last direct negotiations between聽聽and Palestinian leaders in the occupied聽聽broke down in 2010 over the issue of Jewish settlement building across the territory.
Britain has also been pushing the聽, a close ally, to take a bigger role in helping to end the conflict in, with Prime Minister聽聽calling for greater engagement within hours of Obama's re-election.