WASHINGTON (JTA) — President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed peace and security issues a day after the State Department reprimanded Israel on new housing in Jerusalem.
“President Obama spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu today to consult on regional issues and efforts to achieve Middle East peace,” a White House statement said Wednesday. “The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for U.S. support for Israel’s security, in particular the Iron Dome short-range rocket and mortar defense system. The two leaders agreed to continue to work closely together to address common security concerns.”
The call came a day after the State Department criticized Israel over the approval of a new housing project in eastern Jerusalem.
“The United States is deeply concerned by continuing Israeli actions with respect to housing construction in Jerusalem,” said a statement released Tuesday afternoon.
More than 900 housing units in Har Homa were given final approval last week by the Interior Ministry’s Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee. The plan was first submitted for approval two years ago. Approval of the project was delayed twice in recent months due to political considerations. Work likely will not begin for two years; the project still requires a contractor and infrastructure.
“We have raised this issue with the Israeli government and continue to make our position known,” the statement said. “As we have said before, unilateral actions work against efforts to resume direct negotiations and contradict the logic of a reasonable and necessary agreement between the parties.”
Separately, Dan Shapiro, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, said the United States will continue security cooperation with Israel “to even greater levels.”
Shapiro made the pledge Tuesday as he toured a battery of Israel’s Iron Dome short-range missile defense system near the Gaza Strip.
“We are very proud to be involved in this project,” Shapiro said in Hebrew in a video of his visit posted on the U.S. Embassy website. “We will continue our security cooperation to even greater levels.”
Shapiro said Obama was committed to security cooperation, and noted Obama’s budgeting of $205 million to expand and improve the system.
Israel last week deployed the battery near the Gaza border in the wake of intensified rocket attacks from Gaza on the nation’s South.
Obama said :”You do what I want.,or you don’t get hardware”
BB said :”I’ll tell my mama,Obama.And you won’t get any Jewish votes.”
Obama: “Um.Um.Um. the teleprompter ain’t workin'”
Bibi is candidly telling the truth and nothing but the truth that Israel poshit needs 100% security to take care of itself no matter what ! Obama’s stare into space, means he doesn’t have a clue to this concept of security for his ally; he’s pondering deeply to what his brain can come up with as a President of the U.S. It’s all a show. Obama has already given into Palestinian terrorists in principle. It’s just a matter of tiime till he lets out the pack of hungry wolves. Oy Vay. George Bush, where are you when we need you… Read more »
According to the survey, 65 percent of Jewish Americans approve of the job Obama is doing; 60 percent of atheists, agnostics, and those of no religion approve; 50 percent of Catholics approve; 37 percent of Protestants approve and 25 percent of Mormons approve. 65% of American Jews approve? Wow.
israel agreed to a 10 month building freeze which was up awhile ago it didnt help at all so why should israeli citizens not be able to do construction and if the palestinians want to make peace what would it hurt them if their “allies” made construction on their own houses unless of course they dont want peace which would bring the question to the table again what is the point of a construction freeze no country is telling the united states to freeze their building and if the problem the palestinians have is the 1967 borders why did they… Read more »
BS:D He almost single handedly killed the country,he ought to use the minimal brains and abilities that he has to attempt to fix America rather than try to do in Israel chas v’ sholem.