In a highly unusual rebuff to America's closest ally in the Middle East, the White House said today (September 11, 2012) that President Barack Obama would not meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a U.S. visit later this month, as tensions between the U.S. and Israel escalated over how to deal with Iran's nuclear program, according to the Reuters website.
Obama's snub -- coupled with Netanyahu's sharpened demands for a tougher U.S. line against Iran -- threatened to plunge U.S.-Israeli relations into crisis and add pressure to Obama in the final stretch of a tight presidential election campaign.
An Israeli official said the White House had refused Netanyahu's request to meet Obama when the Israeli leader visits the U.S. to attend the U.N General Assembly, telling the Israelis "the president's schedule will not permit that."
By withholding a meeting, Obama could alienate some Jewish and pro-Israel voters as he seeks a second term in the November 6 election. Republican rival Mitt Romney has already accused Obama of being too tough on Israel and not hard enough on Iran.
Many international affairs analysts consider current U.S.-Israeli relations to be the worst they have been since Israel became an independent nation in 1948.
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