(Reuters).US envoy George Mitchell and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could not agree on a Jewish settlement freeze in talks on Tuesday but said negotiations were advancing. “We are making progress,” Netanyahu told Israel Army Radio. “I think we held a very important and productive talk and we will continue with the effort which, I believe, in the end will succeed in advancing peace and security between us and our Palestinian neighbors and the region in general.”
After more than two hours of talks with Netanyahu, Mitchell told reporters: “We have made good progress.”
Mitchell said he looked forward to continuing discussions with Netanyahu and moving toward a “comprehensive peace” envisioned by US President Barack Obama. He did not say when he would next meet the Israeli leader.
Neither Mitchell nor Netanyahu, who in his public comments has played down the dispute with Washington, mentioned settlements in their remarks to reporters.
After seeing Mitchell, Netanyahu visited the Israeli-controlled Allenby Bridge crossing between the West Bank and Jordan. He has ordered its opening hours to be extended to ease the movement of Palestinian commercial goods.
“We are not waiting, we are doing. We are opening roadblocks, we are opening ties, we are opening the roads to peace,” Netanyahu told reporters.
After more than two hours of talks with Netanyahu, Mitchell told reporters: “We have made good progress.”
Mitchell said he looked forward to continuing discussions with Netanyahu and moving toward a “comprehensive peace” envisioned by US President Barack Obama. He did not say when he would next meet the Israeli leader.
Neither Mitchell nor Netanyahu, who in his public comments has played down the dispute with Washington, mentioned settlements in their remarks to reporters.
After seeing Mitchell, Netanyahu visited the Israeli-controlled Allenby Bridge crossing between the West Bank and Jordan. He has ordered its opening hours to be extended to ease the movement of Palestinian commercial goods.
“We are not waiting, we are doing. We are opening roadblocks, we are opening ties, we are opening the roads to peace,” Netanyahu told reporters.