Obama drops in for surprise meeting with Mofaz at White House
Kadima head urges stronger sanctions on Iran, speaks of opportunity for progress with Palestinians
President Barack Obama held a surprise meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz at the White House on Wednesday, in which Mofaz said that Israel’s 94-seat unity government has an opportunity to restart peace talks with the Palestinians.
Mofaz was meeting with US National Security Adviser Tom Donilon when the president dropped in and joined the conversation for over a half hour.
Obama and Mofaz discussed policy issues, with particular emphasis on the Iranian threat and negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Over the course of the conversation Mofaz remarked that regarding negotiations with the Palestinians, “We have a window of a year and a half. It is possible to reach an agreement on borders and security arrangements.”
The deputy prime minister explained the rationale behind the formation of a national coalition government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party in May. Mofaz said joining the government created a window of opportunity to jump-start the peace process with the Palestinian Authority.
Mofaz also called on Obama to intensify sanctions against Iran after the failure of the latest round of talks this week between Tehran and world powers, and to continue preparing for the possibility of military action.
“I thank you for your solid stance beside Israel and her security,” Mofaz told Obama.
The surprise meeting between Obama and Mofaz follows Wednesday’s meeting between US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the visiting deputy prime minister.