Mitchell cites Israel-US friendship
 
JERUSALEM¬† — US envoy George Mitchell has told Israeli leaders that their countries “are and will remain close allies and friends”.¬†Mitchell met on Tuesday with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Defence Minister Ehud Barak.¬†He was scheduled to meet later in the day with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
“The United States’ commitment to the security of Israel remains unshakeable,” Mitchell told Peres.¬†”The United States under President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton remains fully committed to working with our friends, our allies and our partners, and to achieve that comprehensive peace.”
Obama sent Mitchell to the region in an attempt to jump-start peace talks as well as to ease the situation in Gaza.¬†”The president and the secretary of state have made our policy clear: Israelis and Palestinians have a responsibility to meet their obligations under the ‘road map,’ ” Mitchell said.¬†”It’s not just their responsibility. We believe it’s in their security interest as well. But it’s also in the interest of all others to seek to promote peace Americans, Europeans, Arabs and others to support this effort to tangible steps.¬†
“And we all share an obligation to create the conditions for the prompt resumption and early conclusion of negotiations.¬†”My meetings today with the president and other Israeli officials are discussions among friends who share a common set of objectives: peace, security and prosperity to all the people of this region.”¬†Mitchell and Barak met in Tel Aviv, where they discussed the issue of settlement construction, according to reports.¬†Mitchell is also scheduled to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
 
JTA
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