World Jewish News

David Harris (photo by )yamansalahi.com

Deputy FM: Israel-U.S. relations have never been better

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon declared Monday that Israel's relations with the United States have "never been better", telling delegates to the Herzliya Conference that the allies' ties go well beyond dealing with the Middle East conflict.

"What makes the U.S. special is the fact that it has maintained its good relations with Israel over the years," Ayalon declared in his address on the second day of the annual conference. "Its support is not based on the financial pockets of the Arab states.

Ayalon also told the conference that he believed every party comprising Israel's coalition "wants peace."

"Everyone is waiting for the Palestinians to come to the negotiating table," he said.

National Security Adviser Uzi Arad told the opening session of the conference on Sunday that the Palestinian Authority's "policy of refusal" was to blamed for stalled peace negotiations.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was "once too strong, once too weak, once is waiting for elections, other times he's moody, and at a different time he's waiting for an Arab League conference," Arad said.

"The reasons may change but the Palestinian policy of refusal continues, refusal to negotiate. It's very disappointing," said Arad, warning that such reluctance "will become a problem for the Palestinians."

Nevertheless, Arad said such a stalemate could be overcome and negotiations may well resume.

Arad also lambasted Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad for supporting a boycott of Israeli products made in West Bank settlements. Fayyad is set to address the conference on Tuesday alongside Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

Meanwhile, Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer said in his address on Sunday the country could expect an economic growth in the range of 7 percent should a peace agreement be signed with the Palestinians.

The difference would be evident in the amount Israel needs to invest in security, Fischer said. The last five years has seen economic growth of up to 5 percent, said Fischer. "So with peace agreements and conditions, we could have a growth of more like 6 or 7 percent," said Fischer.

Haaretz.com