US reassures Israel over security

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Middle East

Tuesday, 09 March 2010 10:55

By Agencies

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Biden has met Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, as part of his five-day Middle East visit [AFP] Joe Biden, the US vice-president, and Benyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, have held talks over the percieved threat posed by Iran and on reviving the Middle East peace process.

After the meeting in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Biden reassured Israel that the US stood alongside them in terms of security.

"Progress occurs in the Middle East when everyone knows that there is simply no space between the United States and Israel," he said.

"The is no space between the United States and Israel when it comes to Israel's security. And for that reason, and many others, addressing Iran's nuclear programme has been one of our administration's priorities."

Netanyahu thanked the US administration for attempting to limit Iran's nuclear programme, which they claim is aimed at developing nuclear weapons, contrary to Iran's pronouncments that it is solely for civilian purposes, via sanctions.

Iran priority

He also reaffirmed that one of Israel's security prorities is to ensure that Iran does not build a nuclear arsenal.

"The Iranian regime will have to chose between advancing its nuclear programme and advancing the future of its own permanence," Netanyahu said.

Shadi Hamid, the deputy director of the Brookings Institute, said that the point of Biden's visit was to show Washignton's commitment to Israel's security and resistance to Tehran's nuclear programme.

"That was something that Netanyahu and the Israeli public really wanted to hear from Biden in uneqovical terms. And Biden succeeded in getting across that message," Hamid said.

Hamid said that the talks should calm recent Israeli portentousness concerning Iran.

"It would be very difficult now for Israel to talk about a pre-emptive strike so soon after Biden's visit. There would be quite a bit of dissonance there if Israel did that."

'Risks for peace'

Biden also called for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and that the US will stand by those who will "take risks for peace".

"The goal is obviously to resolve the final status issues and achieve a two-state solution," he said.

He said that he welcomed the move this week by Netanyahu to start US-mediated indirect talks with the Palestinians and that he hoped that it would lead to direct dialogue.

Netanyahu said that establishing peace with its Palestinian and Arab neighbours was another top security priority for Israel.

Biden, who is not expected to take part in any indirect Israeli-Palestinian talks, was on the second day of a five-day tour of the Middle East.

Earlier on Tuesday he met Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, and is due to meet Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, on Wednesday.

Biden's visit coincides with that of George Mitchell, Washington's special envoy to the Middle East, who is spearheading efforts to get the Israelis and Palestinians back on the negotiating table.

Talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been on hold since Israel launched a devastating offensive against the Gaza Strip in December 2008, despite US efforts to relaunch the peace process.