1. US President Barack Obama seated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Barack Obama, US President
"The bond between our two countries is unbreakable. My personal commitment, a commitment that is consistent with the history of other occupants of this Oval Office, our commitment to the security of Israel is rock-solid and, as I've said to the Prime Minister in every single one of our meetings, the United States will always have Israel's back when it comes to Israel's security."
3. Cutaway of leaders shaking hands
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Barack Obama, US President
"When I say all options are on the table, I mean it. Having said that, I know that both the Prime Minister and I would prefer to resolve this diplomatically. We understand the costs of any military action."
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister:
"Americans know that Israel and the United States share common values, that we defend common interests, that we face common enemies. Iran's leaders know that two. For them, you're the great Satan and we're the little Satan. For them, we are you and you are us. And you know something, Mr President, at least on this last point, I think they're right: we are you and you are us. We're together. So if there's one thing that stands out clearly in the Middle East today, it's that Israel and America stand together."
6. Cutaway of leaders
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister:
"Israel must have the ability always to defend itself by itself against any threat and that when it comes to Israel's security, Israel has the right, the sovereign right to make its own decisions. I believe that's why you appreciate, Mr President, that Israel must reserve the right to defend itself and after all that's the very purpose of the Jewish state - to restore to the Jewish people control over our destiny. And that's why my supreme responsibility as Prime Minister of Israel is to ensure that Israel remains the master of its fate."
8. End of public meeting between leaders
STORYLINE
The United States and Israel agree that diplomacy is the best way to resolve the crisis over potential Iranian nuclear weapons, President Barack Obama said on Monday - an optimistic view that Israel's leader declined to publicly endorse.
"Both the prime minister and I prefer to resolve this diplomatically," Obama said as he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began several hours of White House consultations. The US will consider all options in confronting what it sees as the unacceptable outcome of an Iranian bomb, Obama said.
Netanyahu used a brief, cordial session before the White House cameras to remind his host that Israel will decide for itself how to confront a looming threat that both unites and divides the longtime allies.
Israel, he said, must remain "the master of its fate."
That was a pointed reference to the main question hanging over Monday's high-stakes meeting: Whether to try to stop an Iranian bomb with a military attack in the next several months.
Many in the Israeli government lean toward striking very soon, a course the Obama administration sees as dangerously premature.
Looking directly at Obama, Netanyahu said Iran was right about one thing - Israel and the United States were indistinguishable as Iran's enemies.
"We are you and you are us," he said.
Obama will try to persuade Netanyahu to slow quickening pressure among many in his hawkish government to attack Iran's disputed nuclear development sites.
"Israel and America stand together," Netanyahu said. |