In a speech to Jewish leaders in Washington, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for an "immediate" resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians. "I want to be clear: My goal is not to have endless negotiations. My goal is not negotiations for negotiations' sake. My goal is to reach a peace treaty, and soon," Netanyahu told a gathering of the Jewish Federations of North America (UJF). "I want to assure you, Israel is willing to make great concessions for peace." The prime minister appealed to the Palestinian president: "So I say today to the leader of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas: Let us seize the moment to reach an historic agreement. Let us begin talks immediately."
Netanyahu also met at the White House with President Barack Obama. In a statement by the President’s Office, Obama reaffirmed the “strong commitment” of the United States to Israel’s security. The statement also said that the two leaders discussed Iran and “how to move forward on Middle East peace.” There was no photo opportunity or press briefing after the meeting, at which Defense Minister Ehud Barak was also present.
Meanwhile, the head of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Natan Sharansky, told delegates in Washington Israel had to forge better ties with young Jews around the world by building a stronger Jewish identity. "Today the battle we are facing is a battle for our identity" and "we need one another," the JAFI chairman said in his speech to the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America, adding: “Our aim must be to connect every young Jew with Israel and Israel with every Jewish community in the world."
