Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said reaching agreement with Palestinians will be difficult but possible. In his first comments about planned direct talks between the two sides, Mr Netanyahu insisted that the negotiations could only be successful if Israel's interests were protected. He told an Israeli cabinet meeting today that Palestinians must accept Israel as the state of the Jewish people and its security must be guaranteed. The direct talks, the first in 20 months, are to begin in September. Both Mr Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have been invited to Washington for the US-sponsored talks. They have agreed to place a one-year time limit on the direct negotiations. US President Barack Obama has also invited President Mubarak of Egypt and King Abdullah of Jordan to attend the Washington talks. Mr. Obama will hold meetings with the four leaders on 1 September. Tony Blair, the special representative of the Middle East Quartet – which comprises the US, the UN, the EU and Russia – has also been invited.