Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry Wednesday morning in Jerusalem, and reiterated the need to increase pressure on Iran to stop its nuclear program. He further criticized Palestinian "artificial crises" aimed at stopping the peace talks.
Regarding Iran, Netanyahu said that "we heard two days ago calls of 'death to America' in Tehran," which show the true face of the Iranian regime.
As long as Iran continues to enrich uranium and work to achieve a nuclear weapon, he asserted, pressure on it must be maintained and even increased.
While the Israeli PM noted that sanctions could cause the collapse of Iran's nuclear weapons program, he expressed concern over interim agreements that would allow the regime to keep the potential to build nuclear weapons under lessened sanctions.
Reports Saturday revealed that Iran pledged continued cooperation with North Korea in developing its nuclear missile program, throwing the nuclear talks with the Islamic Republic into further doubt.
Regarding the "peace talks" with the Palestinians, Netanyahu said, "I am concerned about progress because I see the Palestinians continuing with incitements, to create artificial crises...and run away from strong decisions that are needed to make a genuine peace."
He previously said Monday that Palestinian Authority (PA) statements that peace talks had broken down over the recent construction decisions in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, were "artificial crises."
On the same day, he criticized the PA for not changing its position since 1993, the year of its creation, when the Oslo Accords allowed the PLO terror group to establish an armed presence in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
"I hope your visit will help steer them back to a place where we could achieve the historical peace that we seek," Netanyahu concluded.
In terms of American "steering," a report Monday indicated that the US plans to force a peace deal if the two sides don't come to an agreement.
Kerry's visit included a stop at the Rabin Monument in Tel Aviv Tuesday, the location where Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated 18 years ago after bringing about the Oslo Accords.
His visit was met by protest from bereaved families who lost loved ones to terrorism. The families turned out to express their displeasure over the "gesture" to release a total of 106 terrorists to facilitate peace talks. The "gesture" had reportedly been demanded by the US.
Meanwhile the PA has decided to grant guaranteed work to the freed terrorists.
AFP reports that Kerry is set to meet PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem, and will be returning to meet President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem. After the meeting, he will have a private dinner with Netanyahu.