WASHINGTON President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed peace and security issues a day after the State Department reprimanded Israel on new housing in Jerusalem.
President Obama spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu today to consult on regional issues and efforts to achieve Middle East peace, a White House statement said Aug. 10.
The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for US support for Israels security, in particular the Iron Dome short-range rocket and mortar defense system. The two leaders agreed to continue to work closely together to address common security concerns.
The call came a day after the State Department criticized Israel over the approval of a new housing project in eastern Jerusalem.
The US is deeply concerned by continuing Israeli actions with respect to housing construction in Jerusalem, said a statement released Aug. 9.
More than 900 housing units in Har Homa were given final approval earlier this month by the Interior Ministrys Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee.
The plan was first submitted for approval two years ago. Approval of the project was delayed twice in recent months due to political considerations.
Work likely will not begin for two years; the project still requires a contractor and infrastructure.
We have raised this issue with the Israeli government and continue to make our position known, the statement said.
As we have said before, unilateral actions work against efforts to resume direct negotiations and contradict the logic of a reasonable and necessary agreement between the parties.
Separately, Dan Shapiro, the US ambassador to Israel, said the US will continue security cooperation with Israel to even greater levels.
Shapiro made the pledge Aug. 9 as he toured a battery of Israels Iron Dome short-range missile defense system near the Gaza Strip.
We are very proud to be involved in this project, Shapiro said in Hebrew in a video of his visit posted on the US Embassy website. We will continue our security cooperation to even greater levels.
Shapiro said Obama was committed to security cooperation, and noted Obamas budgeting of $205 million to expand and improve the system.
Israel recently deployed the battery near the Gaza border in the wake of intensified rocket attacks from Gaza on the nations South.
