The following are statements made by Special US Middle East Envoy George Mitchell and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak prior to their meeting today (Sunday, 26 July 2009) in Tel Aviv:

Minister Barak: „I’d like to welcome you on your arrival to Israel as part of your mission, that trying to push forward regional agreement and especially, on the Israeli-Palestinian track. I can tell you that we are ready to take whatever effort to make it happen. I try to push it forward with our vital interests in mind; we understand the needs of the other partners as well, and we clearly need the leadership of the other state as well as your experience and wisdom in the attempt to achieve.”
 
US Envoy Mitchell: „Well thank you very much Mr. Minister, it’s always a pleasure to see you and to be here in Israel.

On a personal level, we have been friends for many years and we will continue to be, on a public level our government are friends, these are discussions among friends for personal and public, a discussions that cover a wide range of issues, all of which are intended to help what we share in common, a desire for comprehensive peace in the middle east and that includes Israel and Palestine, Israel and Syria, Israel and Lebanon and normal relations with all countries In the regions. That is President Obama’s personal objective vision and that is what he is asking to achieve. In order to achieve that we have asked all involved to take steps.

We met regularly with the leaders of our nations, I participated in meetings with several Arab leaders, in which we are urging them to take meaningful steps towards normalization as justice of their own statements that everyone in the region shares the vision of comprehensive peace that we share, you and I, Mr. Minister, and our governments.

I’ll be going to Ramallah to meet with the Palestinian leaders, where I’m asking them to take steps to expand and improve their security, to take actions against incitement to refrain from any words or deeds that makes the prospect of successful negotiations more difficult.

We are in a discussion with our friends here in Israel on steps that can be taken here to move in the same direction.

Thank you Mr. Minister and thank Prime Minister Netanyahu, for the steps that are already taken in terms of access and movement on the West Bank and other areas where you demonstrated a desire to respond and to move forward. We discussed many issues as well and we will continue to do so.

I thank you for your welcoming and look forward continuing this discussion in the same positive atmosphere, with the same positive and friendly attitudes that we had in the past. The American commitment to Israel’s security is unshakable and will not change.