White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said reporters should not read anything into the closed, off-camera meeting between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled for this evening.
Gibbs said during his daily briefing the 7 p.m. meeting in the Oval Office will focus on
“a full range of issues,” including the Middle East peace process.
Reporters asked if the Obama administration was backing down from its push earlier this year that all settlements on the West Bank should be halted. Gibbs insisted the policy was the same.
Obama initially had been scheduled to speak Tuesday to a major meeting of Jewish leaders, which Netanyahu plans to address. Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is going in Obama’s place.
The president’s schedule changed significantly following the tragic shootings at Ft. Hood. Obama will spend most of tomorrow attending the memorial service at the base.
It was already going to be a packed week since Obama departs for a more than week-long trip to Asia. He is now scheduled to leave Thursday.
Two interesting exchanges after the jump.
QUESTION: What is the White House — well, one thing first, on the meeting with the Israeli prime minister tonight. Why is that closed, you know, no press avail, no statements? What is the thinking there?
GIBBS: Well, the president obviously is — will meet later today with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss a full range of issues: Middle East peace.
QUESTION: It seems like he didn’t really want to meet with him, this meeting…
(CROSSTALK)
GIBBS: Well, again, as you know, our schedule since late last week has been up in the air. We were — the president was supposed to speak on Tuesday to the same group that Prime Minister Netanyahu is speaking to. He obviously looks forward to sitting down with the prime minister tonight and continue to work together to address issues like Middle East peace and the threat that’s posed by Iran.
QUESTION: OK, last thing on settlements.
Last week, Secretary Clinton was in Israel and suggested she wanted to praise the Israelis for some progress on settlements. And the Palestinians were upset because the U.S. policy has been a complete freeze on settlements.
(CROSSTALK)
GIBBS: Well, a policy dating back several decades, yes.
QUESTION: Right. But specifically, it was emphasized in the early days of this administration, and the Palestinians felt like maybe there was some back-pedaling.
Can you just clear up — there was a sense that she seemed to be shifting last week.
GIBBS: No, no. Again, I judge from your question, the policy of the United States government for many decades has been no more settlements. That — that’s not something that is new to this administration. It’s something that I think has gotten disproportionate media coverage, but it’s not a policy difference in this administration and previous administrations.
Late update: Here’s MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell questioning the late night meeting.
