Peres tells US senators Israel willing to 'pay price' for peace
President, Defense Minister Barak meet with American congressional delegation in Jerusalem. Peres says Israel will evacuate West Bank outposts; Barak acknowledges government cannot dictate US moves on Iran
President Shimon Peres met with a US congressional mission in Jerusalem on Wednesday. The delegates, led by Senator Robert Casey, chairman of the US Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee, assured him the US President Barack Obama holds Israel in the highest regard.
Peres told the senators Israel would be willing to pay a price for peace, including that of evacuating West Bank settlements and outposts.
The Israeli government, he added, intends on reigniting the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. "It is a difficult path, but we cannot make the difficulties the center of the peace process," he said.
Barak (M) with the US mission (photo courtesy of the Defense Ministry)
Prior to meeting with Peres, the mission met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who told them that Israel was "in no position to dictate US' moves" as far as Iran is concerned.
Nevertheless, Barak stressed that Israel would like to see the US administration's negotiations with Tehran restricted by a timetable.
The defense minister, who is bound for Washington next week, reiterated Israel's commitment to regional peace, stressing that "any agreement will have to ensure Israel's essential interest, security and otherwise. One must remember the there is no direct correlation between the progress in our dialogue with the Palestinians and Iran's centrifuges."
As for the US administrations intention to hold negotiations with Iran, Barak said that while Israel's position on the matter is known, "we are in no position to dictate the US' moves. We believe any dialogue should be subjected to a timetable, and that a system of sanctions should be developed as well."
Barak's Washington visit will be his first since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government was sworn in. He is expected to meet with US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and other senior White House officials.
