The US President Barack Obama, now in Indonesia, has promised that America will spare no effort in its attempt to bring peace to West Asia. During a speech at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta today, Mr. Obama spoke about the difficult negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. He said enormous obstacles remain, but the United States is committed to a peaceful future that sees Israel and Palestine living side by side. During a news conference with Indonesian president, Mr. Obama chastised Israel and the Palestinians for not making what he called the extra effort needed to build trust. He also criticized Israel’s decision to build 1,300 new apartments in disputed East Jerusalem, saying such activity is never helpful during peace talks. In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office insisted that Jerusalem is not a settlement. It is the capital of the state of Israel. But both the US State Department and the United Nations expressed disappointment with the Israeli decision. Palestinians view East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state.