Special American envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell said Tuesday that the United States' commitment to Israel's security
was unquestionable.
Mitchell, who met with President Shimon Peres added
that the recent disagreement noted
between Jerusalem and Washington was not a disparity between rivals, stressing that the US and Israel were friends and allies and would stay as such.
Both countries, he continued, were working hard to reach a comprehensive peace agreement in the Middle East, one which would include a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
The recent strain in relations, he added, has nothing to do with any change in US policies regarding Israel.
Prior to his meeting with Peres, the US envoy met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak
in Tel Aviv. Meeting for the second time in the span of a week, the two reportedly discussed a series of regional, political and security issues.
Mitchell with Barak (Photo courtesy of the Defense Ministry)
Barak detailed Israel's security needs, as well as possible steps which could be taken to bolster the Palestinian economy.
The two also discussed law enforcement in the Palestinian Authority and the question of settlement expansion and
illegal outposts in the West Bank.
Other matters conversed were the Syrian peace
process and the results of
the general elections in Lebanon.
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