Obama urges Netanyahu to resume peace talks with Palestinians

Secretary of State John Kerry visits the region to try to help restart talks that stalled in 2010.

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama spoke by telephone on Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and urged him to resume peace talks with Palestinians, the White House said in a statement.

The telephone call was part of regular consultations between the two leaders, the White House said, but came as US Secretary of State John Kerry visited the region to try to help restart talks that stalled in 2010.

"The President encouraged Prime Minister Netanyahu to continue to work with Secretary Kerry to resume negotiations with the Palestinians as soon as possible," the White House said, noting the leaders also talked about security issues in Egypt, Iran and Syria.