Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and U.S. President Barack Obama said that Israel is moving in what they both called "the right direction" by suspending continued construction for Jews in Judea and Samaria. Addressing reporters at a joint 
Obama said that Egypt and America would "work in concert".
press conference with Mubarak in the White House on Tuesday, Obama said that Egypt and America would "work in concert" toward peace in the Middle East.
In President Obama's view, reports of Israel halting further housing for Jews in Judea and Samaria indicate progress in his administration's efforts to jump-start negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Despite a recent spat with Israel over Jerusalem construction and PA statements rejecting the Jewish character of Israel, Obama said that he sees a chance for "positive steps" at the current juncture.
Obama thanked Egypt's Mubarak for assisting in brokering talks between Israel, the PA and other Arab states. During his discussions with Mubarak, according to White House sources, the U.S. leader defined what he sees as Egypt's "responsibilities" in the context of Middle East peace talks.
The talks between Mubarak and Obama also touched on other bilateral and regional issues. Specifically, according to President Obama, they discussed the introduction and proliferation of nuclear weapons in the Middle East.
Mubarak Blames Middle East Strife on Israel-PA Issue
Egyptian President Mubarak said that the talks with his American counterpart focused primarily on efforts to help the Palestinian Authority overcome its current difficulties. According to Mubarak, he told President Obama that escalating violence in the Middle East is the result of the Arab conflict with Israel. However, he told reporters, "We are moving in the right direction." Other Arab states are ready to assist Israel and the PA reach an agreement, he said, if the two sides would take the first step of returning to the negotiating table.
In the view of the Egyptian President, Israel and the PA "need to move to the final status" talks. He told the assembled journalists, "I have contacted the Israelis and they said, 'Maybe we can talk about a temporary solution,' but I told them, 'No, forget about the temporary solution, forget about temporary borders."
Three Meetings in Three Months
The meeting between President Obama and President Mubarak was the third of its kind in as many months. However, Mubarak had not visited the White House since 2004, during the Bush Administration.
Prior to the Egyptian President's meeting with Obama, American leaders met three other senior representatives of Arab nations in Washington in recent weeks. Kuwaiti Emir Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal all pushed for continued U.S. pressure on Israel.
On Monday, President Mubarak met U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, American envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell, and Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair.