Declaring that any talk of a rift is unfounded, US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to soothe rocky relations Tuesday. The US-Israeli bond is unbreakable, said Obama.

As the two leaders addressed reporters in the Oval Office, Obama said, “The United States is committed to Israel’s security. We are committed to that special bond. And we are going to do what’s required to back that up, not just with words, but with actions.”

For the Israeli leader’s part, Netanyahu said of solving years of strife with Palestinians: “We’re committed to that peace. I’m committed to that peace.” And he said that reports of the demise of the US-Israel relationship are “flat wrong.”

Before the two leaders headed into a working lunch, Netanyahu said, “There’s a depth and richness of this relationship that is expressed every day.”

Trying to add a sense of urgency, Netanyahu said he and Obama discussed specific steps that could be taken in the coming weeks to move the peace process forward, without elaborating. He added, “When I say the next few weeks, that’s what I mean. The president means that, too.”

(article source: Detroit Free Press, photo source: The Hindu)