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Netanyahu says meeting with Obama was 'important'
By Natasha Mozgovaya and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents, and News Agencies
Tags: Israel news, Barack Obama 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday voiced confidence that his meeting Monday with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington would benefit Israel's security and peacemaking efforts, adding that "I think this visit will turn out to have been very important."

Netanyahu, whose ties with Washington have been strained by Israel's settlement construction in the West Bank, met U.S. President Barack Obama in a hundred-minute closed-door meeting on Monday evening, during which the two discussed Iran's nuclear ambitions as well as stalled Middle East peace talks.

"It was a very focused and very positive conversation," Netanyahu said before departing. "This conversation dealt with the range of subjects that are important for the security of Israel, and for our joint efforts to advance peace."
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After the meeting concluded late Monday, the White House issued a statment saying, "The president reaffirmed our strong commitment to Israel's security, and discussed security cooperation on a range of issues."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Ambassador Michael Oren, National Security Council chief Uzi Arad and Netanyahu's envoy in Washignton Yitzhak Molcho joined the premier for part of the meeting.

Barak said at the culmination of his meetings with top Washington officials that he felt "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, as well as my own, was of an utmost importance."

Referring to the attempts to advance the peace talks with the Palestinian Authority, the defense minister said, "No stone is left unturned in our efforts to restart negotiations," adding that the Washington visit had "reiterated the extent to which U.S. President Obama's leadership contributes to the chances of reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians, as well as to Israel's security."

"In my meetings in the Pentagon and in our meetings in the White House we could appreciate President Obama's awareness of Israel's security needs," Barak added.

A press briefing with Netanyahu scheduled for Tuesday morning was canceled. The prime minister was scheduled to leave Washington on Tuesday for Paris, where he is to meet with French President Nicholas Sarkozy on Wednesday.

Prior to the meeting, sources close to Netanyahu said he would tell Obama that he was "very serious" about wanting to advance peace talks with the Palestinians during the two meeting on Monday.

The last-minute scheduling of Netanyahu's White House meeting, after Israeli officials said over the past several weeks that Netanyahu hoped to see Obama, was widely seen as a sign of strained relations between the two leaders.

"We mean business," Netanyahu was to tell the American president, and add that Israel was ready to be "generous" in scaling back the construction in West Bank settlements.

Before sitting down with Netanyahu, Obama and members of his senior staff
visited with Jewish leaders from across the country who were attending the meeting of the Jewish Federations of North America.

Obama thanked the Jewish leaders for their work in their own communities, and recognized the Jewish Federations for the "countless hours of tzedakah (charity) performed every day of every week."

In the past, Netanyahu has rebuffed Obama's calls for a complete freeze on settlement activity, including the expansion of current ones. The Palestinians have demanded a settlement freeze as a condition for the resumption of stalled peace talks. The opposing standpoints have effectively brought the peace process to a halt.

Netanyahu was also going to tell Obama that there was never any Israeli intention to halt settlement construction before entering into talks with the Palestinians. "What more do I need to do?" he was to ask.

Sources close to the prime minister have said that Netanyahu is convinced he is doing everything in his power to advance the peace process.

Netanyahu was also to voice his willingness to make concessions in efforts to achieve an agreement. However, he was to stress his refusal to compromise Israel's security in the process, placing an emphasis on the importance of preventing the influx of weapons into any territory that Israel should withdraw from under a future deal.

He was to add that up until this point, the security arrangements between Israel and Lebanon and Israel and Gaza have proven ineffective.

However, at the State Department, spokesman Ian C. Kelly said the administration's special envoy for Mideast peace, George Mitchell, has no immediate plans to return to the region to continue his push for a resumption of peace talks.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs fielded questions ahead of the Netanyahu-Obama meeting, saying that the "policy of the United States government for many decades has been no more settlements. That's not something that is new to this administration. It's something that I think has gotten disproportionate media coverage, but it's not a policy difference in this administration and previous administrations."

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      1.   Bibi is lying through his teeth, he knows the fate that would... 23:54  |  BBSNews 09/11/09
      2.   "We mean Business" 00:03  |  Libertad 10/11/09
      3.   observation 00:05  |  potobac 10/11/09
      4.   disappointed 00:13  |  kivi 10/11/09
      5.   Generosity has its bounds, apparently 00:15  |  Stephen 10/11/09
      6.   thank you, Bibi 00:17  |  Axel 10/11/09
      7.   could have said that to mitchell - why waste obama`s time?? 00:18  |  Hans Bergman 10/11/09
      8.   Road Map Agreement 00:19  |  Iain 10/11/09
      9.   It`s easy to be generous with other peoples property. 00:22  |  Damian Lataan 10/11/09
      10.   Old tricK. PlaY the victiM and gaRner syMpathY 00:22  |  Linda Straw 10/11/09
      11.   "There were never any intentions... blah blah" 00:26  |  Avram 10/11/09
      12.   A lovely retcon from the Ministry of Truth 00:30  |  Johnboy 10/11/09
      13.   It is not enought to "scale back"..previous promises of removing. 00:44  |  meir gush etzion 10/11/09
      14.   How `generous`? 00:46  |  Mark Lincoln 10/11/09
      15.   Bibi is right, not him and no one can freeze settlements 00:48  |  Khaled 10/11/09
      16.   Curbing is not enough, only a full and permanent halt will do 00:57  |  Joseph Steinberg 10/11/09
      17.   Netanyahu: "ready to be" - usual perennial promises 01:02  |  al 10/11/09
      18.   Concessions 01:06  |  Don Rosenberg 10/11/09
      19.   "Generous" in not stealing more...real nice Bibi 01:06  |  David 10/11/09
      20.   Israeli negotiation-101 01:18  |  WHG 10/11/09
      21.   "What more do I need do?" 01:25  |  Mark of Lewiston 10/11/09
      22.   "GENEROUS..." 01:29  |  EL 10/11/09
      23.   Thilled! 01:29  |  Adam 10/11/09
      24.   Yet again the Jews have to worry about their security ! 2nd try 01:33  |  Akram Zekaria 10/11/09
      25.   Bibi`s a weak fool 01:37  |  Mark 10/11/09
      26.   might as well freeze the settlements, bibi 01:40  |  nathan 10/11/09
      27.   The generosity of the new Moses, profet of zion 01:45  |  John Spear 10/11/09
      28.   more talk .... and no action 01:53  |  One 10/11/09
      29.   Remember the Road Map? 01:56  |  Dolphin 10/11/09
      30.   Casting pearls before hogs ,perennial Israeli cringers 01:56  |  Absolute Sweden 10/11/09
      31.   See how `generous` Bibi is when his aid is about to be cut 02:14  |  betz55 10/11/09
      32.   when will it be enough for them? 02:20  |  ben 10/11/09
      33.   Where have I heard that before....... 02:55  |  Miss America 10/11/09
      34.   If by generous you mean stopping all settlement construciton... 03:06  |  binny 10/11/09
      35.   Memo to Barak Ravid: The "peace process" has been dead for... 03:16  |  peacelover 10/11/09
      36.   AN obstacle, not THE obstacle to peace 03:17  |  Mark Jeffery Koch 10/11/09
      37.   Netanyahu on Settlements 03:54  |  Hugh 10/11/09
      38.   Is a thief being generous when he steals slightly less? 03:58  |  Apa 10/11/09
      39.   #1 04:08  |  Markos Souza 10/11/09
      40.   The Berlin Wall 04:14  |  Shimon Cleopas 10/11/09
      41.   Netanyahu 04:16  |  Tar 10/11/09
      42.   Bibi, that boat has sailed... 04:21  |  stella westwell 10/11/09
      43.   Just talk 04:23  |  bob 10/11/09
      44.   What Palestinian land ? 04:53  |  Rita Cohn 10/11/09
      45.   strong commitment to israel 05:04  |  Al 10/11/09
      46.   So powerful and so Insecure 05:14  |  John 10/11/09
      47.   Oy Bama promise & $2 gets you a $1 cup of coffee 05:59  |  Disgusted American 10/11/09
      48.   #2 Al - wake up and smell the coffe 06:12  |  yoni 10/11/09
      49.   PEACELOVER MEMO Arafat killed off peace process 06:13  |  PETER SM 10/11/09
      50.   AL "a people looking for peace"elect no peace ever Hamas 06:16  |  PETER SM 10/11/09
      51.   Always the same game, with the same players and the same result! 06:38  |  Sceptic 10/11/09
      52.   we should be talking of dismantling settlements 06:44  |  shelly 10/11/09
      53.   Gibbs is wrong, very wrong!!! The Bush-Sharon understanding with 07:03  |  Eitan 10/11/09
      54.   "What more do I need do?" 07:17  |  Mark of Lewiston 10/11/09
      55.   implanted and defended by them 07:39  |  sani abu ismail 10/11/09
      56.   ISRAELI GENEROSITY 07:55  |  Pierre S 10/11/09
      57.   IS THERE A MEZUZA AT THE OVAL OFFICE? 07:55  |  Ted Birnberg 10/11/09
      58.   ISRAELI GENEROSITY 07:56  |  Pierre S 10/11/09
      59.   To #7 08:08  |  Boris 10/11/09
      60.   Obama reaffirms Israel`s security 08:13  |  DT 10/11/09
      61.   Eitan - Where`s the Record? 08:30  |  Mark of Lewiston 10/11/09
      62.   #5 Eitan, try to understand something.... 08:30  |  Johnboy 10/11/09
      63.   netanyahu`s mistake 08:34  |  ILetzter 10/11/09
      64.   Interesting observation in other media 08:37  |  Johnboy 10/11/09
      65.   It is not clear to me: why not apply Security Council Res. 242 as 08:41  |  Eitan 10/11/09
      66.   It never ends 08:47  |  Emil 10/11/09
      67.   I am sick of Obama`s reaffirming... 08:59  |  Dutch 10/11/09
      68.   what`s new! 09:28  |  arash 10/11/09
      69.   Obama can`t even afford anymore to be seen together..... 09:43  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/11/09
      70.   #17 Well, I can see the problem from here, Eitan 09:56  |  Johnboy 10/11/09
      71.   netanyahu has stretched the limits; and NOW he`s worried 10:02  |  eric 10/11/09
      72.   arash you wrong 10:03  |  Daniela 10/11/09
      73.   Thank you Al 10:20  |  paul 10/11/09
      74.   PIERRE By trusting the Arabs,again.What do you expect 10:22  |  PETER SM 10/11/09
      75.   His own backyard 10:22  |  David 10/11/09
      76.   #34, Dino 11:15  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/11/09
      77.   ILetzter 11:18  |  flora 10/11/09
      78.   Johnboy, Eitan is right. You can attempt to fool people but Eitan 11:22  |  Moshe Qedmi 10/11/09
      79.   Hey ILetzter 11:25  |  Zeidan 10/11/09
      80.   Yesterday`s news 11:32  |  Chris Linthwaite 10/11/09
      81.   daniela 11:32  |  John Spear 10/11/09
      82.   This is what Obama said 11:40  |  Reza 10/11/09
      83.   60 CJK - Ft Hood Shootings 12:16  |  Mark of Lewiston 10/11/09
      84.   #50 Eitan it is clear to me that Qatzrin is not in Israel 12:24  |  enri igguns. 10/11/09
      85.   No Psm barak killed it off 12:31  |  Labhras 10/11/09
      86.   #79 Moshe Qedmi---you forgot one small detail 12:41  |  Labhras 10/11/09
      87.   #68 Moshe, you`ve got the hebrew-language version, do you? 12:42  |  Johnboy 10/11/09
      88.   LABRAHAS Clinton and Prince Bandar disagree with you 13:24  |  PETER SM 10/11/09
      89.   Tired old propoganda that only has a place here if we all join... 13:40  |  Tcherkessi 10/11/09
      90.   #80 13:48  |  British Zionist 10/11/09
      91.   242 #Johnboy misleading 13:49  |  arik 10/11/09
      92.   Johnboy and Marc of Lewiston 13:49  |  Walid 10/11/09
      93.   Same olld BS! 13:49  |  Jethro 10/11/09
      94.   I certainly agree with Eitan: 242 the way it is is the way out 13:58  |  Yael 10/11/09
      95.   # 76 Cipora, I wouldn`t wanna claim that I know..... 14:04  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/11/09
      96.   Netanyahu means business 14:09  |  Gully Foyle 10/11/09
      97.   Walid---should we scrap the UN --then. 14:41  |  Labhras 10/11/09
      98.   netanyahoo 14:45  |  lawrence scott 10/11/09
      99.   "...strong commitment` to Israel`s security ..." 14:48  |  Esther 10/11/09
      100.   I`ll take Obama`s word with a Kilo of Salt 15:01  |  *BEN JABO 10/11/09
      101.   Labhras 15:12  |  Walid 10/11/09
      102.   Walid is partially right 15:37  |  arik 10/11/09
      103.   #92 Walid 15:45  |  BDS 10/11/09
      104.   Two Points 17:16  |  Stephen 10/11/09
      105.   BDS 18:13  |  Walid 10/11/09
      106.   Equal Commitment to Justice? 18:28  |  Vladek 10/11/09
      107.   All there is are 2 declarations saying nothing... 19:10  |  S 10/11/09
      108.   BiBi mtg with Obama 19:13  |  Jet 10/11/09
      109.   Netanyahu: Obama meet focused and positive 20:04  |  Mark Lincoln 10/11/09
      110.   response to johnboy resolution 242 seems Syria wanted more 20:29  |  BIG SUR 10/11/09
      111.   All Netanyahu can do is to try to outlast Obama 20:36  |  Scott Hunter 10/11/09
      112.   Netanyahu /Obama 20:53  |  Joshua 10/11/09
      113.   Johnboy out-to-lunch on 242 21:04  |  SDHD 10/11/09
      114.   Ben in Toronto 21:06  |  Janice 10/11/09
      115.   Big Sur ---#110---the hell you say 21:11  |  enri igguns 10/11/09
      116.   What some of us forgetting ... 21:16  |  Akram Zekaria 10/11/09
      117.   Too Ben-Jabo 21:52  |  Elmer 10/11/09
      118.   If Israel is serious about peace 21:55  |  Chris Linthwaite 10/11/09
      119.   Settlements were not an impediment before Obama came to power 22:18  |  Peter Williams 10/11/09
      120.   HR 479 is about medical services for children 22:32  |  Elmer 10/11/09
      121.   Make love not walls 23:07  |  David 10/11/09
      122.   #92 Walid appears to be talking at cross-purposes 00:36  |  Johnboy 11/11/09
      123.   #94 Yael 00:39  |  Johnboy 11/11/09
      124.   #110 You know what I`m seeing in these posts, BIG SUR? 00:47  |  Johnboy 11/11/09
      125.   whats this crap about `stole land`? 01:58  |  Statesman 11/11/09
      126.   What Road Map? 02:13  |  Staesman 11/11/09
      127.   Mark Lincoln: Obama, Bibi meet was pure B.S. 02:30  |  Sarah 11/11/09
      128.   Dutch, its you who needs a kick in the 02:45  |  Alah hu akbar 11/11/09
      129.   fly on the wall 04:02  |  Yehuda 11/11/09
      130.   To Ben #32 04:07  |  Yehuda 11/11/09
      131.   Ben from Toronto...We? 05:48  |  John 11/11/09
      132.   Yehuda`s "in the first place" 06:34  |  SDHD 11/11/09
      133.   Secret meeting Obama-bibi 09:47  |  John Spear 11/11/09
      134.   #113 SDHD, I`ve already shown you the actual document. 22:53  |  Johnboy 11/11/09
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