Focus will be on restarting Middle East peace negotiations
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with U.S. president Barack Obama at the start of a U.S. visit aimed at improving his country’s strained relations with its once-staunch supporter. The meeting will be the fifth time between the two leaders and was originally postponed after Israeli troops killed nine Turkish activists in a raid on a Gaza aid flotilla. This meeting is seen as a test for Obama, and whether he can overcome recent tensions to work toward direct peace talks between Israel and Palestine. The White House will seek to underline Netanyahu’s commitment to direct talks with the Palestinians, and get him to extend beyond September a 10-month moratorium on new settlements. On Sunday, Netanyahu addressed the Israeli cabinet, saying the time had come for the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, to get ready to meet with Israeli officials “because there is no other way to advance peace,” adding, “I hope this will be one of the results of the visit to Washington.”