Israel must act to end regional 'isolation': US

WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Friday that Israel must work to end its increasing "isolation" in the region by repairing diplomatic ties with Egypt and Turkey and renewing peace efforts with the Palestinians.

"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 has effectively been put on hold," Panetta said.

But he added in a speech that Israel was not entirely to blame for its difficult position and referred to an "international campaign" designed to isolate the country.

Panetta said he understood Israel's anxieties over turmoil in the Middle East but said the Arab spring offered an opportunity for the country to forge a more secure place in the region.

It was crucial for Israel to reach out and "mend fences" with countries such as Turkey, Egypt and Jordan that he said share an interest in regional stability, he said.

Israel needed "to lean forward on efforts to achieve peace with the Palestinians," Panetta said in an event organized by the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. (AFP)