Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin will not meet with US President Obama during his 5-day visit to the US, which began on Sunday, the Israeli media reported.
"Over the past few days, there has been contact between the relevant parties in Israel and the US, discussing the possibility of a meeting between President Obama and President Rivlin during his visit to New York to address the United Nations Holocaust commemorations,’’ according to a statement from Rivlin’s spokesperson.
"At this stage, it has been agreed not to hold a meeting during his visit, due to the schedule constraints of both leaders, and that a meeting would be scheduled at a later date," the statement said.
The statement also stressed that the US “is a true friend and important ally of Israel.”
Rivlin is in New York for his first visit to the US since elected as president to address Tuesday a UN ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, at the invitation of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
“Israel is not compensation for the Holocaust, but the Holocaust proved beyond any shadow of a doubt why there was a need for the State of Israel,” Rivlin said in a statement, adding that he was taking with him “those voices of those who perished” in the Shoah.
Rivlin, who took office as Israel’s 10th president in July, is expected to meet with Ban Ki-Moon, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie during his visit.
His trip comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted an invitation by the Republican House Speaker to address a joint session of the US Congress in March, two weeks before Israel’s general elections, in a move which was not coordinated with the White House.
The White House said last week that President Obama will not meet Netanyahu the Israeli leader given the proximity to the vote.
The Obama administration fears Netanyahu’s address, which is to focus on the threat he sees from Iran, could be used by the Republicans — who control Congress — to undermine ongoing nuclear talks with Tehran just as they appear poised to bear fruit.
In the meantime, the Israeli media reported that Labour opposition leader Isaac Herzog will make a decision soon about whether to accept an invitation to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Conference in Washington.
AIPAC invited both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Herzog to speak at the conference, which is to take place two weeks before Israel’s March 17 election.