U.S. President Barack Obama thanked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday for his "courage" in "good faith" negotiations with the Palestinians on final status issues.

"I commended him for entering into good faith negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. I appreciate the prime minister's courage in being willing to step forward."

President Barack Obama promised Benjamin Netanyahu Monday he would enter talks with Iran with clear eyes and demand verifiable actions, following the Israeli leader's warnings about "sweet talk" from Tehran.

Netanyahu and Obama held talks at the White House, days after Obama's historic call with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spurred hopes for a breakthrough in the 30-year estrangement between Washington and the Islamic Republic.

Israel has posthumously honored an Egyptian doctor for his role rescuing Jews during World War II, the first time a citizen of the Arab country has received the award.

Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial authority in Jerusalem, awarded Dr Mohammed Helmy the honor of "Righteous Among The Nations," which is given to non-Jews who stood up to the Nazi genocide during the war.

Israeli President Shimon Peres said on Monday that arch-foe Iran's bid to allay Western fears over its nuclear program should be judged "by deeds" rather than a mere charm offensive.

Peres was speaking in The Hague during a three-day official trip to the Netherlands, ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House.

Israel on Monday remanded in custody for eight days an alleged Iranian spy, arrested on September 11 carrying photographs of the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv.

News of his arrest was made public Sunday, hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left for Washington and New York, determined to expose what he described as "sweet talk" by Israel's arch-foe Iran.

Israel's prime minister will tell Washington that Iran's nuclear program must be dismantled and not merely supervised when he visits the White House on Monday, Israeli media reported.

Benjamin Netanyahu will tell U.S. President Barack Obama that Israel will abandon the diplomatic path on Iran's nuclear program if it is not completely dismantled, according to the diplomatic correspondent of Israel's Channel One television network.

Israeli police on Sunday caught four young Israelis red-handed as they vandalized Christian tombstones in a cemetery in the holy city of Jerusalem, a spokesman said.

"Four Israeli Jews aged between 17 and 26, including two from settlements in the West Bank, were arrested as they broke tombstones in a Christian cemetery on Mount Sion," Micky Rosenfeld told Agence France Presse.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed for the United States on Sunday determined to use White House talks and a key U.N. speech to counter "sweet talk" by arch-foe Iran.

Netanyahu has been dismissive in his response to a drive by Iran's new President Hassan Rouhani to mend fences with the international community that culminated in a historic 15-minute telephone conversation with U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday.

Israel's Shin Bet security service on Sunday announced the arrest on September 11 of an Iranian "spy" carrying photographs of the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv.

News of the arrest was released just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left for Washington and New York, determined to expose what he described as "sweet talk" by Israel's arch-foe Iran.

President Shimon Peres said on Sunday that Israel's reaction to landmark contacts between the United States and Iran had been too "scornful" of its key ally.

His comments came just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left for Washington for talks with President Barack Obama, determined to expose what he described as "sweet talk" by Israel's arch-foe.