(Ynet).US President Barack Obama emphasized his administration's unwavering commitment to Israel's security in his meeting with President Shimon Peres at the White House on Tuesday.
The US president also touched on the Iranian nuclear threat, saying that while current efforts are dedicated to resolving the standoff through diplomacy this was not the only option on the table.
The meeting was scheduled to be 20 minutes but ended up being extended to an hour. The two leaders met in private for the first fifteen minutes. The tête-à-tête then gave way to a lively discussion in the Oval Office with White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, National Security Advisor, Jim Jones, and top Obama aide David Axelrod.
Obama said he was confident his administration would be able to cooperate with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is to visit the US in two weeks' time.
The US president and his aides were keen to hear whether Netanyahu's political prowess will allow him to wrangle his coalition and advance the peace process. Peres answered that the prime minister has so far not endorsed the two-state path because "he has a coalition to maintain, and he needs to move at his own pace. I believe that in the meeting with President Obama things will become clear."
After their meeting, the White House released a statement saying: The President appreciated the opportunity to welcome President Peres, in recognition of the enduring friendship between the United States and Israel."
"The two presidents exchanged views on the opportunities and challenges, including the pursuit of a comprehensive peace in the Middle East and Iran's nuclear program... [and] achieving our countries' shared goal of peace and security for Israel and all of its neighbors. The President looks forward to his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu later this month."