Jerusalem (CNN) -- Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the issue of settlements Monday as a "marginal" part of peace talks and said he was glad the United States had abandoned its demand for a renewed freeze.
Speaking at a business convention in Tel Aviv, Israel, hours before he was scheduled to meet with U.S. special envoy George Mitchell, Netanyahu said talks should focus on "core issues" at the root of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
"To reach peace, we need to discuss the issues that are really hindering peace, the question of recognition, security, refugees and, of course, many other issues," he said.
Last week, the Obama administration announced that it was abandoning efforts to persuade Israel to renew a settlement freeze as a precondition for jump-starting Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. CNN
