Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his meeting with President Barack Obama was “very warm and open,” before heading to Paris amid floundering efforts to revive Middle East peace talks.

Netanyahu left the White House late yesterday without making public remarks. He briefly spoke with reporters today at Andrews Air Force Base before leaving for France, where he is scheduled to meet tomorrow with President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Netanyahu said reports of tensions between the U.S. and Israel weren’t accurate. He has refused to completely freeze building in West Bank settlements, as requested by Obama and which the Palestinians have made a condition for resuming negotiations.

“We’re trying to advance peace and we’ve taken some very significant steps,” Netanyahu said. “We indicated that we have true security needs, and the U.S. is ready is assist us.”

The Obama administration, in a statement, said the president reaffirmed the “strong commitment” of the U.S. to Israel’s security and that the two leaders discussed Iran and “how to move forward on Middle East peace.”

Hours before his talks with Obama, Netanyahu said in a speech to the Jewish Federations of North America that he hopes to reach a permanent peace treaty to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“I say to Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the Palestinian Authority: Let us seize the moment to reach an historic agreement, let us begin talks immediately,” Netanyahu said.

Demilitarized State

The prime minister reiterated his call, made in June, for the establishment of a Palestinian state as long as it is demilitarized.

Netanyahu’s visit to Washington follows a trip by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Israel during which she tried to revive a peace process intended to lead to Palestinian statehood. Instead, she became mired in disputes over Israeli settlements.

In Jerusalem, Clinton publicly praised Netanyahu’s proposal to limit settlement expansion to the completion of about 2,500 new homes, calling the offer “unprecedented.”

Palestinians criticized Clinton over the remarks, recalling that Obama had earlier demanded a total freeze on settlement construction as a precursor for resuming peace talks. Abbas said on Nov. 5 that he no longer wants to run for re-election in January and aides expressed concern that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may erupt again in violence.

Concessions Possible

Netanyahu, 60, said he would work for a durable peace with the Palestinians, and said Israel is willing to make concessions as long as they don’t compromise its security.

“With the support of the United States, peace can become a reality,” Netanyahu said.

Turning to Iran’s nuclear program, Netanyahu said, “We must stand together to stop Iran from realizing its nuclear ambitions.”

At the speech, police ejected a protester who stood up and shouted: “Shame on you! Peace for Israel and Gaza!” Netanyahu answered by quipping that he received a better reception at the United Nations, where he spoke in September.

The General Assembly last week overwhelmingly approved the so-called Goldstone report, which judged that Israel and the Palestinian Islamic group Hamas may have committed war crimes during a three-week conflict that ended early this year. Hamas controls the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu thanked the U.S. for opposing the “twisted” report, which he said deprives Israel “of our right to defend ourselves.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan Ferziger in Washington at jferziger@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 10, 2009 12:28 EST