US urges Israel to end isolation in Middle East

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US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has urged Israel to "mend fences" with Turkey, Egypt and others in the Middle East to reduce its growing isolation, reports BBC. In a speech in Washington, he said Israel was not entirely to blame, referring to an "international campaign" to isolate it. Mr Panetta called on Israel to restart peace talks with the Palestinians. He added that the US remained committed to Israel's security and would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. "Unfortunately, over the past year, we've seen Israel's isolation from its traditional security partners in the region grow, and the pursuit of a comprehensive Middle East peace plan has effectively been put on hold," he said.