JERUSALEM — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said progress is being made in the current Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Kerry also pledged that the Obama administration would consult with Israel on a final status deal with Iran over curbing its nuclear program, during a news conference following the Thursday morning meeting. He reiterated that the United States was committed to Israel’s security.

Netanyahu said that Israel is ready to complete a peace deal with Israel, and asserted that Israel must be able to protect itself. He called on Palestinian leaders to “grandstanding and finger pointing.”

Kerry was scheduled to meet in Ramallah with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas later on Thursday. Kerry was scheduled to hold a second meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday evening and another on Friday morning before leaving for Washington.

It had been reported that Kerry would bring with him to the meeting proposals for security arrangements in the West Bank to be included in an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.