A Snub For Netanyahu Relations between Barack Obama and Binyamin Netanyahu neared a new low on Thursday as the White House revealed the president would not meet the Israeli prime minister when he visits Republican leaders of Congress in March. Obama administration officials insisted the reason for the apparent diplomatic snub was “long-standing practice and principle” that US presidents should not meet foreign leaders during re-election campaigns. “Accordingly, the president will not be meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu because of the proximity to the Israeli election, which is just two weeks after his planned address to the US Congress,” national security council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said. But the White House decision arrived as strains with the Israeli government burst into the open following an invitation from Republican House speaker John Boehner, who asked Netanyahu to discuss their shared concerns over Obama’s nuclear talks with Iran before a combined session of Congress. “If that’s the purpose of prime minister Netanyahu’s visit two weeks before his own election, right in the midst of our negotiations, I just don’t think it’s appropriate and helpful,” said Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House minority leader. The brewing standoff also stood in stark contrast to a White House visit by British prime minister David Cameron, who is also running for re-election but appeared alongside Obama last week as they both warned of the dangers should Congress pass new sanctions authorisation that they insist could derail the Iran talks.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 06:05:12 +0000
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