The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Thursday said US President Barack Obama's speech was the first and basic step to establish a just peace in the region.

Obama's remarks about the Palestinian people's suffering and his emphasis that they should have a statehood "was the first basic and key to build a comprehensive and just peace in the region," said Nabil Abu Rdineh, spokesman for the Palestinian presidency.

In a speech to the Islamic world from Cairo, Obama urged Israel and the Palestinians to work together to be bale to live side by side.

"Israel has to take Obama's comments seriously," Abu Rdineh told Xinhua over the phone. Obama's message was clear: "Israel has to select peace or tension," Abu Rdineh went on.

The spokesman reiterated that Obama's remarks were "encouraging," adding that the PNA would remain committed to the peace process.

Since November 2007, Israel and the Palestinians resumed talks seeking a Palestinian statehood next to the Jewish one following the US-hosted Annapolis peace conference. However, the talks failed to make any progress and officially stopped after right-wing premier Benjamin Netanyahu took office in April 2009.

Netanyahu rejected Obama's calls on Israel to halt Jewish settlement in the Palestinian territories and said Israel can not stop the natural growth of the settlements.

(Xinhua News Agency June 5, 2009)