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Joe Biden, the US vice-president, and Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, have held talks over the perceived threat posed by Iran and on reviving the Middle East peace process.
After the meeting in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Biden reassured Israel that the US stood alongside them in terms of security.
"Progress occurs in the Middle East when everyone knows that there is simply no space between the United States and Israel," he said.
"There is no space between the United States and Israel when it comes to Israel's security. And for that reason, and many others, addressing Iran's nuclear program has been one of our administration's priorities."
Netanyahu thanked the US administration for attempting to limit Iran's nuclear program, which they claim is aimed at developing nuclear weapons, contrary to Iran's pronouncements that it is solely for civilian purposes, via sanctions.
Iran priority
He also reaffirmed that one of Israel's security priorities is to ensure that Iran does not build a nuclear arsenal.
"The Iranian regime will have to chose between advancing its nuclear program and advancing the future of its own permanence," Netanyahu said.
Shadi Hamid, the deputy director of the Brookings Institute, told Al Jazeera that the point of Biden's visit was to show Washington's commitment to Israel's security and resistance to Tehran's nuclear program.
"That was something that Netanyahu and the Israeli public really wanted to hear from Biden in unequivocal terms. And Biden succeeded in getting across that message," Hamid said.
Hamid said that the talks should calm recent Israeli portentousness concerning Iran.
"It would be very difficult now for Israel to talk about a pre-emptive strike so soon after Biden's visit. There would be quite a bit of dissonance there if Israel did that."
Palestinian perspective
Dr Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian politician and activist, also said she believed the meetings with Israeli officials was more about discussing policy toward Iran, rather than 'peace' with Palestinians.
"The peace effort seems to me is not a primary issue on the agenda", she told Al Jazeera on Tuesday.
However, in a as far as the Palestinian situation was going to be discussed, Ashrawi said: "The real issue is whether the US is willing to take serious steps, whether it is going to curb Israeli behavior or continue to give Israel a pat on the back instead of a slap on the wrist.
"In order to ensure that settlement activity stop, the annexation and transformation of Jerusalem stops ... it is not a question of negotiation per se. It is a question of substance and the ability to influence realities on the ground."
But Biden said he had called for a two-state solution and that the US will stand by those who will "take risks for peace".
"The goal is obviously to resolve the final status issues and achieve a two-state solution," he said.
Indirect talks
He said that he welcomed the move this week by Netanyahu to start US-mediated indirect talks with the Palestinians and that he hoped that it would lead to direct dialogue.
Netanyahu said that establishing peace with its Palestinian and Arab neighbors was another top security priority for Israel.
The Palestinians have said they will not resume peace talks until Israel ends its settlement activity in the occupied West Bank.
But on the eve of Biden's visit, plans to build 1,600 new Jewish homes in East Jerusalem were announced.
A spokesman for Netanyahu said the prime minister did not know about the announcement.
But Biden condemned the plan to build more illegal settlements, saying the decision "undermines the trust we need right now".
"I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units", he said.
PHOTO CAPTION
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (L) stands with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad during their meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah March 10, 2010.
Agencies
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