Mideast leaders agree to continue direct talks as key issues remain

Today, Palestinian and Israeli leaders met face to face for the first time in nearly two years for direct talks in Washington DC. At the opening of talks this morning, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sat on either side of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Netanyahu called the talks an "unprecedented opportunity" but also said a permanent peace would require "concessions" from all parties.

"Together we can lead people to an historic future, that can put an end to claims and to conflict. Now this will not be easy. A true peace, a lasting peace would be achieved only with mutual and painful concessions from both sides."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas indicated what are sure to be key points in the talks, including Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and the blockade on Gaza. He also emphasized a commitment to security following Tuesday's killing of four Israelis near Hebron. Abbas spoke through an interpreter.

"Once again we want to state our commitment to follow on all our engagements including security and ending incitement and we call on the Israeli government to move forward with its commitment to end all settlement activities and completely lift the embargo on Gaza Strip and end all forms of incitement."

Later in the day Middle East envoy George Mitchell said the parties had concluded a 90-minute session, which he described as a "long and productive meeting on a range of issues." Mitchell said parties would return to talks in two weeks, in the Middle East.

For more, we're joined by a regular guest on FSRN, Phyllis Bennis. She's director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies and an expert on the Middle East region. She’s also the author of Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Primer. She joins us from Washington DC.