© Government Press, European Pressphoto Agency
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, with Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, observes an army infantry exercise taking place on the Golan Heights. Netanyahu has been publicly criticizing the Obama administration for refusing to issue a more specific ultimatum to Iran over its nuclear program.
Washington - The White House struggled Tuesday to dispel reports that it had snubbed a request for a meeting this month from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as friction between the two allies again burst into the open.
As Netanyahu stepped up his criticism of President Obama's approach to the Iran nuclear threat, Israeli officials disclosed that Netanyahu had sought unsuccessfully to schedule a meeting with Obama at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in New York. Netanyahu's office had been told, Israeli officials said, that Obama would not be at the U.N. on Sept. 27 and 28, when Netanyahu would be there.
After a day of news reports about the escalating feud, the White House arranged an evening phone call between Obama and Netanyahu and insisted in a statement that the leaders had discussed "our close cooperation on Iran and other security issues." It denied that the Israelis had asked for a meeting in Washington and added, "nor was a request for a meeting ever denied."
But the Israeli government, in a statement Tuesday night, confirmed that Netanyahu had sought a meeting in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. session, a time when national leaders often confer.
The back and forth came only hours after Netanyahu, in comments in Israel, had unleashed his most scalding criticism of the Obama administration's approach to Iran's nuclear program.
Comment: It's interesting to note that days after the Canadian government chose to close the Canadian embassy in Tehran, this so called "snub" happened by the U.S.. This should be perceived as what it is: a game of good cop, bad cop and it's all part of the show folks.