Time for 'bold action' to resolve Middle East crisis: Panetta

Jerusalem: US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta today described as a ‘mistake’ the Congress’ move to freeze $200 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority over its bid for a UN membership, even as he sought “bold action” from both Israel and PA to secure a two-state solution. On his first visit to Israel after assuming the role of Defense Secretary, Panetta said this “critical time” was not a  time to withhold funds from the Palestinians, indicating the Obama administration was opposed to the US Congress’ move. Members of the Congress’ House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had last week moved to block the funding to the Palestinian Authority in response to its bid at the United Nations to secure a full membership. [caption id=“attachment_98521” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Panetta’s visit comes just 10 days after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas formally presented a request to the United Nations to be accepted as a full member state. Reuters”] [/caption] Panetta said the funds had helped Palestinians improve their security apparatus, which ultimately helped Israel as well by preventing attacks by militants, Ynet news reported. The US Defence Secretary also told both Israel and Palestinians that “bold action” was required on their part to negotiate a two-state solution. Panetta also warned Israel against any unilateral action on Iran, noting that any action to stop the country’s nuclear programme must be carried out with the “coordination and consensus of the international community”. “There is a need and an opportunity for bold action on both sides to move towards a negotiated two-state solution,” he said at a joint news conference with Israel’s Defence Minister Ehud Barak. “There is no alternative to negotiation,” he emphasised. Panetta’s visit comes just 10 days after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas formally presented a request to the United Nations to be accepted as a full member state. Israel and the United States have vehemently opposed the PA bid saying a Palestinian state can only come from direct negotiations between the parties, and now several world leaders are urging both the sides to accept a proposal presented by the Mideast Quartet to renew peace talks. “My main message is to both sides: you don’t lose anything by going into negotiations,” Panetta said on his arrival in Israel. “One thing that’s been made clear… is that you’re not going to achieve Middle East peace by trying to slamdunk it in the UN. The only way you’re going to achieve it is by negotiations.” he added. Israel has formally accepted the Quartet plan which calls upon kickstarting negotiations without any preconditions, but the PA has maintained that such talks are meaningless until the Jewish state freezes all building and settlement activities in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. The Pentagon chief on a two-day tour of the region will also meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abbas in an effort to kickstart the stalled peace process. PTI