WORLD NEWS

WASHINGTON: The United States called Thursday on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prove his commitment to a Palestinian state, warning that prolonged conflict only strengthened extremists.

In an address on the Middle East, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged "bold leadership" from all sides to resolve one of the world's most intractable disputes and also pressed Arab states to show they wanted to make peace.

Clinton was forthright in her demands of Netanyahu, saying that Israel "should refrain from unilateral statements and actions" that could undermine the peace process.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu has embraced the vision of the two-state solution," Clinton said.

"But easing up on access and movement in the West Bank, in response to credible Palestinian security performance, is not sufficient to prove to the Palestinians that this embrace is sincere," she said.

"We encourage Israel to continue building momentum toward a comprehensive peace by demonstrating respect for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians, stopping settlement activity and addressing the humanitarian needs in Gaza."

Clinton warned that the long freeze in the peace process was strengthening hardliners including the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"Every step back from the peace table and every flare-up in violence undermines the positive players across the region who seek to turn the page and focus on building a more hopeful and prosperous Middle East," she said.

Clinton was speaking at the dedication of a Center for Middle East Peace named after US entrepreneur Danny Abraham, a longtime advocate for Israel who created the Slim-Fast dieting drink.