Speaking to reporters prior to leaving Turkey for South Africa, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan released a statement to Israel, calling on Jerusalem to wise up and heed the remarks of visiting US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. Erdogan was referring to remarks made by Panetta, stating Israel was rapidly becoming more isolated in the region. Erdogan added the problem lies with Israeli leaders and not the people.

Following are the exchange of remarks made in Israel between Prime Minister Binyamin and Secretary Leon Panetta during the senior official’s visit, prior to heading to Cairo.

PM Netanyahu: I’m very happy to welcome you to Jerusalem. You’re coming to the Middle East at a time when it’s undergoing a tremendous convulsion. Probably nothing on this scale happened since the end of World War I, and during this time it’s particularly important to strengthen the security alliance between Israel and the United States.

I have to commend you and of course, President Obama, for strengthening that alliance and our cooperation. I look forward to discussing with you in this meeting ways to do that. I think that’s important for our security and that’s important for peace.

Peace has to be achieved, as both President Obama and I have said, through direct negotiations between the parties. Yesterday, Israel welcomed the Quartet statement that called for direct negotiation without preconditions. You’re going to see President Abbas later today.

Well, maybe you can tell him, encourage him to enter direct negotiations without preconditions. That’s our hope and I think it should be our common goal. I believe that security will take an important part. Security and recognition are the two foundations of that discussion. In any case I welcome you to Jerusalem. I know you have problems elsewhere in the world. I wish success there and I wish us success in the pursuit of peace.

Secretary of Defense Panetta:  Thank you very much.  It’s an honor for me to have the opportunity to come here now as Secretary of Defense. I’ve had the good fortune to know the prime minister throughout different chapters of our lives, going back to my role as Chief of Staff to President Clinton and a number of other capacities as well.  So I look forward to the ability to discuss some of the difficult challenges that face not only Israel but the United States as well.

The most important thing I bring with me is the continuing commitment to the security of Israel.  We have been strong allies, we have been strong partners.  We have always made a commitment to do everything we can to support the security of Israel and as the Secretary of Defense, I intend to continue that commitment.  I think it’s important for us to say to this region that when it comes to the difficult issues we face we stand together to try to confront our difficult and common challenges.

I look forward to our discussions and I look forward to continuing to work with you and others to ensure that we protect the security not only of your country but of the United States. END

Panetta also signaled that he feels the congressional decision to halt aid to the PA (Palestinian Authority) in response to the statehood bid in the United Nations is a mistake.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)