Israel Matzav

After 7.5 hours, Netanyahu - Clinton meeting ends

After seven and a half hours, the meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Secretary of State Clinton is finally over.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that Israel's security requirements would be "fully taken into account" under any future peace deal with the Palestinians.

In a joint statement issued after a day of talks in New York, Clinton and Netanyahu "agreed on the importance of continuing direct negotiations," which have been stalled over the issue of Jewish settlement construction on Israeli-occupied land.

Here's more - the text of the joint statement is not on line yet.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held talks that were "friendly and productive" and stressed the importance of continuing direct negotiations in pursuit of an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord, according to a joint statement put out by the two governments Thursday evening.

The two sides indicated that officials would continue to meet in the days ahead in order to create "conditions for the resumption of direct negotiations," which have stalled ever since the Israelis let a settlement freeze lapse and Palestinians have demanded the freeze be extended as a condition of the talks.

Clinton also reiterated the US position that negotiations can reconcile "an independent and viable state, based on the 1967 lines, with agreed swaps" for the Palestinians with Israel's desire for "secure and recognized borders that reflect subsequent developments on the ground," and provide Israel with security.

"Those requirements will be fully taken into account in any future peace agreement," the statement emphasized.

Prior to the meeting, Clinton expressed confidence in Netanyahu as a peacemaker, despite tensions this week between the US and Israel, and Israel and the Palestinians, over Jewish construction in east Jerusalem.

“The prime minister and [Palestinian Authority] President [Mahmoud] Abbas are both very committed to the two-state solution and we’re going to find a way forward,” Clinton said in a brief response to questions from the press as she began what proved to be a marathon session of talks with Netanyahu and advisers from both sides.

No indications here that anything substantive was decided.

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Hillary Clinton, Middle East peace process

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:51 AM