United States presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, seeking to improve his foreign policy credentials, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday morning in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu kicked off his meeting with Romney saying he agreed with remarks Romney made earlier that sanctions and diplomacy have not worked in preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Netanyahu said he agreed with Romney's assessment that Iran must not be allowed access to nuclear weapons.  

Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted Romney as saying in an interview he was "personally committed" to taking "every step necessary" to prevent Iran from developing nuclear capability. Israeli leaders have been considering a military strike on Iran.

Romney is facing a close race in November against U.S. President Barack Obama.  Analysts say Romney hopes his pro-Israel stance will help him win votes from traditionally Democratic Jewish voters and evangelical Christians who tend to defend Israeli government policy.

Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, met with Israeli President Shimon Peres following his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and is also meeting Palestinian Prime Minister Sala Fayyad.

Romney’s foreign policy adviser told reporters Sunday the the Republican presidential hopeful would "respect" a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran should the Islamic republic develop nuclear weapons,

“If Israel has to take action on its own, in order to stop Iran from developing that capability the governor would respect that decision," Dan Senor said at the morning briefing.

Hours later, the former Massachusetts governor and presumptive GOP presidential nominee ignored questions from reporters about Senor's comments as he left a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres.

The campaign then issued a far less ominous clarification from Senor.