BICOM

US President Barack Obama Will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on 5 March. The announcement came following a meeting between Netanyahu and Obama’s National Security Advisor, Tom Donilon, in Jerusalem over the weekend. It comes amid heightened concern over Iran’s nuclear programme and possible Israeli military action to thwart it. “The visit is part of the continuous and intensive dialogue between the United States and Israel and reflects our unshakable commitment to Israel’s security” the White House said.

In recent weeks, several top ranking US security officials have visited Israel to discuss the Iranian nuclear threat and ensure full coordination between Jerusalem and Washington. Despite continual dialogue, Israel is concerned that recent sanctions imposed by the US and the EU will not be sufficient in persuading Iran to abandon its nuclear programme.

Amid the intensive US-Israeli discussions, Haaretz reports this morning that Israeli leaders who met Donilon over the weekend have expressed Israel’s dissatisfaction with recent statements made by senior US officials on the Iranian issue. These include briefing of US journalists about a possible Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, and a statement by Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, describing an Israeli action as ‘unwise’.