Obama, Netanyahu discuss Mideast peace

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama reaffirmed America's "strong commitment to Israel's security" in a meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the White House said.

Netanyahu traveled to Washington Monday to meet with Obama on restarting the peace process. Netanyahu has resisted the Obama administration's call to end the building of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the center of a future Palestinian state, even though he said his government would limit construction of new settlements, CNN reported.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton drew Palestinian ire last week when she described Netanyahu's decision to restrict but not end West Bank settlements as "unprecedented." Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said last week he would not run seek re-election in January as he and other Palestinian leaders expressed frustration.

"The President and Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed a number of issues in the U.S.-Israel bilateral relationship," the White House said in a statement. "The President reaffirmed our strong commitment to Israel's security, and discussed security cooperation on a range of issues. The President and Prime Minister also discussed Iran and how to move forward on Middle East peace."

Before his meeting with Netanyahu, Obama signed an executive order on employment of veterans in the federal government, the White House said. The executive order establishes a veterans employment council and a veterans employment program office inside most federal agencies.