Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the world is starting to understand that Israel is not the obstacle to Middle East peace, Israel Radio reported on Thursday.
Netanyahu placed the blame for the lack of progress in the peace process on Iran's influence as well as internal divisions within Fatah, the ruling party in the West Bank.
In a meeting with reporters from Russian-language media outlets in Israel, Netanyahu said that the world now knows that Iran's armament is the main problem in the Middle East, not the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Netanyahu reiterated his promise to send a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama requesting the release of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard.
The prime minister refused to comment on the issue of captured Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, saying only that Israel is constantly working to free him.