WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (KUNA) -- President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday discussed the Middle East peace process, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the Iranian nuclear program.
During a joint appearance at the Oval Office prior to their meeting, Obama said he would debrief Netanyahu "on the work that we are doing to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL and the broader agenda that I have discussed at the United Nations, which is mobilizing a coalition not only for military action but also to bring about a shift in Arab states and Muslim countries that isolates the cancer of violent extremism that is so pernicious and ultimately has killed more Muslims than anything else." The President said they would discuss "the progress that is being made with respect to dealing with Iran's nuclear program, which obviously has been a high priority for not only Israel but also the United States and the world community." Obama said they have "recognized that we have to find ways to change the status quo so that both the Israeli citizens are safe in their own homes and schoolchildren in their schools from the possibility of rocket fire, but also that we do not have the tragedy of Palestinian children being killed as well. And so we will discuss extensively both the situation of rebuilding Gaza, but also how can we find a more sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians." Netanyahu told Obama that "Israel fully supports your effort and your leadership to defeat ISIS (another name for ISIL). We think everybody should support this." Even more critical is "our shared goal of preventing Iran from becoming a military nuclear power," Netanyahu said. Iran "seeks a deal that would lift the tough sanctions that you worked so hard to put in place, and leave it as a threshold nuclear power, and I firmly hope that under your leadership that would not happen," he added.
Opportunities are changing in the Middle East, "because out of the new situation there emerges a commonality of interest between Israel and leading Arab states, and I think that we should work very hard together to seize on those common interests and build a positive program to advance a more secure, a more prosperous and a more peaceful Middle East," Netanyahu said.
"I remain committed to a vision of peace of two states for two peoples, based on mutual recognition and rock-solid security arrangements on the ground," he said, referring to the Palestinian-Israeli issue.
"And I believe we should make use of the new opportunities, think outside the box, see how we can recruit the Arab countries to advance this very hopeful agenda." (end) rm.gb