"we have to find ways to change the status quo so that both Israeli citizens
are safe in their own homes and schoolchildren in their schools from the
possibility of rocket fire, but also that we don’t have the tragedy of
Palestinian children being killed as well" - [IMRA: The way that "we don’t
have the tragedy of Palestinian children being killed as well" is by making
sure that there aren't rockets being fired at Israel from within civilian
Gaza areas]

Remarks by US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Following are the remarks by US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of their meeting earlier today (Wednesday, 1
October 2014), at the White House.

US President Obama:

"Well, it’s good, once again, to welcome the prime minister of Israel, Bibi
Netanyahu. Obviously he’s no stranger to the White House. I think I’ve met
with Bibi more than any world leader during my tenure as president.

We meet at a challenging time. Israel is obviously in a very turbulent
neighborhood, and this gives us an opportunity once again to reaffirm the
unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel, and our ironclad
commitment to making sure that Israel is secure.

You know, throughout the summer, obviously, all of us were deeply concerned
about the situation in Gaza. I think the American people should be very
proud of the contributions that we made to the Iron Dome program to protect
the lives of Israelis at a time when rockets were pouring into Israel on a
regular basis. I think we’ve also recognized that we have to find ways to
change the status quo so that both Israeli citizens are safe in their own
homes and schoolchildren in their schools from the possibility of rocket
fire, but also that we don’t have the tragedy of Palestinian children being
killed as well, and so we’ll discuss extensively both the situation of
rebuilding Gaza but also how can we find a more sustainable peace between
Israelis and Palestinians.

Our agenda will be broader than that, obviously. I’ll debrief Bibi on the
work that we’re doing to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL and the broader
agenda that I discussed at the United Nations, which is mobilizing a
coalition not only for military action but also to bring about a shift in
Arab states and Muslim countries that isolate the cancer of violent
extremism that is so pernicious and ultimately has killed more Muslims than
anything else. And we’ll also have an opportunity to discuss the progress
that’s being made with respect to dealing with Iran’s nuclear program, which
obviously has been a high priority for not only Israel but also the United
States and the world community. So we have a lot to talk about and I
appreciate very much the prime minister coming. It’s challenging, I think,
for an Israeli prime minister to have to work so hard during Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur, but I know that the prime minister’s utmost priority is
making sure that his country is safe during these difficult times, and we’re
glad that the United States can be a partner in that process. Thanks."

Prime Minister Netanyahu:

"Mr. President, first, I want to thank you. I want to thank you for the
unflinching support you gave Israel during our difficult days and difficult
summer we had, expressed in so many ways, but also in an additional
installment of support for Iron Dome, which has saved so many lives, saved
many lives across the board, and I thank you for that and for the continuous
bond of friendship that is so strong between Israel and the United States.

I also want to thank you for this opportunity to meet with you and to
discuss the enormous challenges facing the United States and Israel in the
Middle East. There’s definitely a new Middle East. I think it poses new
dangers,but it also presents new opportunities. As for the dangers, Israel
fully supports your effort and your leadership to defeat ISIS. We think
everybody should support this.

And even more critical is our shared goal of preventing Iran from becoming a
military nuclear power. As you know, Mr. President, Iran seeks a deal that
would lift the tough sanctions that you worked so hard to put in place and
leave it as a threshold nuclear power, and I fervently hope that under your
leadership that would not happen.

Equally, I think that there are opportunities, and the opportunities, as you
just expressed, is something that is changing in the Middle East, because
out of the new situation there emerges a commonality of interest between
Israel and leading Arab states, and I think that we should work very hard
together to seize on those common interests and build a positive program to
advance a more secure, a more prosperous and a more peaceful Middle East. I
remain committed to a vision of peace of two states for two peoples, based
on mutual recognition and rock-solid security arrangements on the ground.
And I believe we should make use of the new opportunities, think outside the
box, see how we can recruit the Arab countries to advance this very hopeful
agenda. And I look forward to our discussions on these and many other
matters".

US President Obama: "Thank you very much, everybody."