(Communicated by the Office of the President)

President Reuven Rivlin today (Monday, October 6, 2014), received Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the President's Residence for a private meeting to receive an update following the Prime Minister’s return from the United States.

The two spoke about the Prime Minister’s visit to the United States, his address to the UN General Assembly, and his meeting with US President Barack Obama.

The Prime Minister commented at the beginning of the meeting, "The region is currently engaged in a very difficult struggle against terrorism, we struck hard against this terror this summer in the south, the United States is leading the global fight against the Islamic State forces, and we are supporting this fight in all that is asked of us, and we also extended our hands in peace to all of our neighbors who want peace, and I think these are the things that express the great partnership and the unity of the people that you express so well."

President Rivlin noted on the Prime Minister’s words, “"One of the more significant elements of our national unity, is the general agreement on Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and the world needs to understand that, Jerusalem is our capital and as our capital, we need to allow the residents of the city to live and reside in it.”

The Prime Minister added, "When this happens in the capital of Israel, do we have to apologize? Or to cancel it? Not in my opinion, not in your opinion, and not in the opinion of any sensible Jew or indeed any reasoned and fair-minded person.”