Benjamin Netanyahu Is Coming to the White House

By Fred Lucas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who has had a rocky relationship with President Barack Obama — will be visiting the White House on Sept. 30, White House press secretary Jay Carney announced Tuesday.

The visit comes as the United States has entered into an agreement with Russia to force Syrian — an Israel antagonist — to surrender its chemical weapons arsenal.

“The president looks forward to discussing with Prime Minister Netanyahu the progress on the final status negotiations with the Palestinians, as well as developments in Iran, Syria, and elsewhere in the region,” Carney told reporters.

Carney did not provide the media with a schedule. During a visit to the White House in 2011, Netanyahu and Obama had an awkward meeting in front of reporters in which Netanyahu seemed to scold Obama just days after Obama called for Israel to return to its pre-1967 borders.