From correspondents in Washington, United States, 01:30 AM IST

US President Barack Obama said during his first meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday that Tel Aviv must end its settlement activities in the West Bank in order to progress in the peace process with Palestinians.

'Settlements have to be stopped in order for us to move forward,' Obama said, placing him at odds with the conservative prime minister, whose government appears poised to expand a key settlement in the West Bank.

Obama held the meeting with Netanyahu in an effort to jump start the stumbling peace process, but the two leaders also focused heavily on Iran's nuclear aspirations. Obama and Netanyahu agreed that a nuclear armed Iran could pose a serious threat and destabilise the region.

'There has never been a time when Arabs and Israelis see a common threat the way they see it today,' Netanyahu said.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)