The White House announced that U.S. President, Barack Obama, will be holding a meeting with Israeli President, Shimon Peres, next Tuesday April 5th in Washington. The White House said that the talks between the two leaders will focus on the stalled Middle East peace talks, and the latest developments and revolutions in the Arab world.
Israeli sources reported that Peres will remain in Washington for two days and besides meeting Obama, he will be holding meetings with Vice President, Joe Biden, and Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton.
The sources added that Obama is interested in listening to Peres’ opinion regarding the possibility of resuming direct Palestinian-Israeli talks.
Several Israeli leaders expressed concerns regarding the revolutions in the Arab world, the demands of justice and change, as Tel Aviv believes that Islamists might rise to power and Arab countries will have “hostile” governments.
Israel and the United States recently upped their talks, diplomatic moves and security cooperation, and held extensive talks about the revolutions spreading in different parts of the Arab world.
This will mark the first meeting between Obama and Peres since their last White House meeting in May 2009.
Peres is currently visiting Britain for meetings with government officials. Several Facebook and Twitter groups called for apprehending Peres “for war crimes against the Palestinian people”.
On Wednesday, dozens of protesters gathered in front of the Chatham House research institute in London to protest allowing Israeli President, Shimon Peres, to visit the institute and giving him the podium to deliver his speech.