Kerry also won't meet Netanyahu during Washington trip (State Department)

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State John Kerry will not meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the prime minister's upcoming visit to Washington, the State Department said on Thursday.

The White House earlier said US President Barack Obama would not meet with Netanyahu when he addresses the US Congress in March. Like the White House, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki also cited a need to avoid the appearance of trying to influence Israeli elections later in March.
[jpost.com by Reuters] 
22/1/15
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Related:

• U.S. State Department on Wednesday announced a new round of U.S.-Iranian nuclear talks when the Obama administration is moving ahead on a collision course with a Republican-controlled Congress over Iran sanctions....

• “It doesn't make sense. That is why I will veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to undo this progress,” Obama said, referring to an interim accord under which Tehran has frozen its uranium enrichment in return for limited sanctions relief.

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• Obama will not meet Netanyahu during U.S. visit...

U.S. President Barack Obama will not meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin during his upcoming visit to the United States, Agence France Presse reported, citing a White House statement.
Earlier today, Netanyahu confirmed he will travel to Washington in March to address Congress so he can make one trip to the United States instead of two in the run-up to the March 17 Israeli election, a Republican aide said on Thursday.
Republican congressional leaders said on Wednesday they had invited Netanyahu to address a joint meeting of Congress on Feb. 11, prompting questions from the White House about whether protocol had been violated.
"The Israelis initially agreed to a date in February, but decided they only wanted the prime minister to make one trip to the U.S. before the election, so they asked to change to the first week in March," the aide said.
Netanyahu also plans to address a conference of the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC during his visit.
 [alarabiya.net]
22/1/15