President Barack Obama and Saudi King Abdullah agreed in a meeting in Washington on the need to resume talks between Israel and Syria and Lebanon respectively, the White House said in a statement. According to AFP, Obama urged bold action to secure the "Palestinian homeland" on Tuesday as he hosted Abdullah to the White House for the first time since taking office.
Obama stated the two leaders discussed Iraq, Iran's nuclear challenge and Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"We discussed the Middle East peace process and the importance of moving forward in a significant and bold way in securing a Palestinian homeland that can live side by side with a secure and prosperous Israeli state," Obama said.
In a later statement about the meeting, the White House said Obama and the Saudi king also agreed on the need to renew talks between Israel and Syria and Lebanon respectively.
Adbullah hailed Obama's leadership. "You are an honorable man and you are a good man. I don't say this in order to compliment you -- I say this because this is the truth as I hear it from people around the world," Abdullah said. "May God spare us from all of the bad things they can do to us," he said.
