Obama, Netanyahu stress need for Mideast peace

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday affirmed his commitment to a two state solution with Palestinians to achieve Middle East peace during a meeting with President Barack Obama in which the two leaders sought to smooth over differences on Iran.

The two leaders have had a frosty relationship, and publicly disagreed on the Iran nuclear deal.

American officials sought to downplay the effect the language would have on Netanyahu’s visit and said it was the prerogative of the Israeli government to determine who serves in official posts. “We’ll be looking to make sure we find common ground there”. “We’re with each other in more ways than one and I want to thank you for this opportunity to strengthen our friendship, which is strong; strengthen our alliance, which is strong”.

Even with no chance of significant progress on Mideast peace, the fact that Obama and Netanyahu met at all is seen as an important step.

Regarding this, the Obama administration has already shown its frustration over Netanyahu promising Israeli voters there wouldn’t be a Palestinian state if he was reelected, and went on the air election day to warn people that massive numbers of Arab voters were coming out to vote.

The two leaders will also discuss long-term military cooperation between the two countries and implementation of the nuclear deal with Iran.

The White House said the Iranian deal will be among the regional security issues that Obama and Netanyahu will discuss in the meeting that will also be attended by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

Obama and Netanyahu are known to have testy personal ties, not least because of the right-wing Israeli premier’s courting of Republicans – the US president’s opponents – including in a speech to Congress in March not coordinated with the White House.

Obama in his remarks said he and Netanyahu would discuss how best to deal with Iran in the wake of the successful completion of the nuclear deal, as well as turmoil in the region fomented by the Islamic State terrorist group.

“The security of Israel is one of my top foreign policy priorities, and that has expressed itself not only in words, but in deeds”, Obama said.

Netanyahu said talks would focus on “strengthening the security of the state of Israel, which the USA has always been committed to, while maintaining the state of Israel’s comparative advantage in the face of a changing Middle East”.

Earlier Monday, Netanyahu told reporters gathered in the Oval Office: “I want to make it clear that we have not given up our hope for peace”.

Since October 1, the new wave of violence has killed 75 Palestinians, including an Israeli Arab, and ten Israelis.

Through the deal, Israel receives $3.1 billion a year in funding from the United States.

Speaking at a press briefing, White House Spokesman Josh Earnest said Washington was encouraged by Netanyahu’s claims that he was committed to the two-state solution, but would wait and see what action Israel would take.