(Jpost).Defense Minster Ehud Barak on Monday said he thought US President Barack Obama's Sunday speech gives Israel a starting point from where the two countries can put their differences behind and move forward.
"In the end, as our first prime and defense minister David Ben Gurion said, Israel stands on two legs: its power and righteousness".
"That power, is actualized by the IDF and its strategic abilities, and its righteousness is our international legitimacy, internal unity, and especially the special relationship we have with the United States."
Referring to continuing efforts at preventing the Palestinians from seeking statehood in the United Nations in September, the defense minister said that it was of "great importance, when facing the uncertainty of the months ahead, to find a way to say: 'Yes, but' - not to hide our hesitation, not to diminish the importance that we give to security concerns." Instead he said, Israel should "find a way to continue moving the Americans, with the Europeans, with whatever is possible to stop the diplomatic tsunami in September."