Obama,
Netanyahu set for first talks since Iran deal
Send a link to a friend
[November 09, 2015]
By Jeffrey Heller
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President
Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet on Monday for
the first time since the Israeli leader lost his battle against the Iran
nuclear deal, with Washington seeking his re-commitment to a two-state
solution with the Palestinians.
|
Netanyahu, who infuriated the White House by urging Congress, in
an address in March at the Republican leadership's invitation, to
reject an emerging accord with Iran, hopes the talks will help
outline a new 10-year military aid package for his country.
While that issue will be on the agenda of Netanyahu's talks with
Obama, U.S. officials said the president would also press Netanyahu
for steps to keep alive the possibility of a future Palestinian
state alongside Israel.
U.S.-sponsored peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians
collapsed in 2014. The eruption of a wave of violence between the
two sides last month has made an end to that bloodshed a more
immediate priority.
In public remarks to his cabinet on Sunday about his Washington
visit, Netanyahu spoke only in general terms about "possible
progress with the Palestinians, or at least, stabilising the
situation when it comes to them".
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Nov/09/images/ads/current/LPL_small%201.gif) He said the Syrian crisis and U.S. military aid for Israel would
also be discussed in his first meeting in 13 months with Obama. The
Democratic president and the conservative Israeli leader have little
personal chemistry and have clashed often over the Iranian and
Palestinian issues.
In a conference call with reporters last week, Rob Malley, the U.S.
National Security Council's coordinator for the Middle East, North
Africa and Gulf region, reiterated Obama's view that he would leave
office without an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.
Given that reality, Malley said, Washington wanted to hear ideas
from Netanyahu on how to stabilize the current situation and sought
a signal from both sides that "they are still committed to and
moving towards a two-state solution".
[to top of second column] |
![](../images/ads/current/richardson_lda_040113.png)
During Netanyahu's re-election campaign earlier this year, the
right-wing Likud party leader vowed there would be no Palestinian
state on his watch. Even when Netanyahu backtracked and insisted he
was not reneging on long-time policy, the White House was
unconvinced.
Seeking a boost in U.S. defense aid, Israel argues that sanctions
relief agreed by world powers under the July deal that curbs Iran's
nuclear program will allow Tehran to invest more heavily in its
missile development, while redoubling funding for Hezbollah and
Hamas guerrilla allies on its borders.
Israel now receives $3.1 billion from the United States annually and
wants $5 billion per year for 10 years, for a total of $50 billion,
Congressional officials have told Reuters.
One U.S. official predicted the sides would settle for an annual sum
of $4 billion to $5 billion.
(Editing by Jeffrey Heller)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Nov/09/images/ads/current/directory_buttons.png)
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Nov/09/images/ads/current/memorial_home_sda_100115.png) |