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Israel PM Netanyahu 'ready for peace talks' Israel PM Netanyahu 'ready for peace talks'
(41 minutes later)
Israel is ready "to immediately begin" peace talks with the Palestinians and Syria, PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said after returning from the US.Israel is ready "to immediately begin" peace talks with the Palestinians and Syria, PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said after returning from the US.
But he insisted that any peace settlement "must find a solution to Israel's security needs".But he insisted that any peace settlement "must find a solution to Israel's security needs".
And Arab states joining talks would have to offer concessions - as well as Israel and the Palestinians, he said. Arab states should join talks, he said, but would need to make concessions as well as Israel and the Palestinians.
At the talks on Monday, Mr Netanyahu was pressed by President Barack Obama over US plans on a two-state solution.At the talks on Monday, Mr Netanyahu was pressed by President Barack Obama over US plans on a two-state solution.
But the Israeli leader - who also came under pressure to rein in Israeli settlement-building - refrained from endorsing the idea.But the Israeli leader - who also came under pressure to rein in Israeli settlement-building - refrained from endorsing the idea.
Instead he said Israel was ready to live "side by side" with the Palestinians.Instead he said Israel was ready to live "side by side" with the Palestinians.
Arab 'concessions' 'Childish'
Mr Netanyahu's comments on returning to Israel gave no further encouragement to those seeking a guarantee of full Israeli co-operation with the US-backed peace strategy, correspondents say. Speaking after touching down at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport, Mr Netanyahu offered an upbeat assessment of his visit to the US.
"There was agreement that we must immediately launch peace talks," he said after landing at Ben-Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. "There was an agreement that we need to immediately begin the peace process," he said.
"We also agreed on the need to expand the peace process to Arab states," he said. On-off negotiations with Syria over the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967, ended before this year's Israeli election. Focus by the media on the concept of solving the Israel-Palestinian issue through a two-state solution is childish and stupid Ron DermerAide to Israeli PM class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/8058378.stm">New leaders face old problems
However, Mr Netanyahu was clear in setting out how any new peace effort would have to proceed. "I said I am willing to open peace talks with the Palestinians - [and] by the way with the Syrians as well - of course without preconditions," he said.
"Arab states should also make concrete concessions from the start," Reuters news agency reported him as saying. "We also agreed on the need to expand the peace process to Arab states."
Meanwhile, an aide to Mr Netanyahu was quoted telling reporters that talk of a two-state solution was "childish and stupid". On-off negotiations with Syria over the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967, ended before this year's Israeli election, while Israel only has diplomatic relations with two Arab nations, Egypt and Jordan.
The aide, Ron Dermer, quickly clarified his statement, telling the Associated Press news agency that he was referring to the constant media focus on the two-state concept - not the proposal itself. Arab recognition of Israel was one element of a recently-revived Saudi peace plan first drafted in 2002.
However, Mr Netanyahu was clear that Arab states would need to come to the negotiating table prepared to barter.
"Israel is interested in widening the circle of peace, and in bringing in other Arab states, [but] the Arab states must also make concessions in the process," Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported him as saying.
Mr Netanyahu did not specify.
Earlier, a senior adviser to the prime minister, Ron Dermer, told the Associated Press news agency that the constant focus on a two-state solution was "childish and stupid".
Mr Dermer denied that he meant to deride the two-state proposal itself.
"I told reporters that the focus by the media on the concept of solving the Israel-Palestinian issue through a two-state solution is childish and stupid, but I deny that I described the idea that way," he said.