Obama will not meet Israel's Netanyahu on U.S. visit

President Barack Obama will not meet Benjamin Netanyahu when the Israeli prime minister visits Washington in March to address the U.S. Congress, the White House said on Thursday, a decision that could further escalate tensions between the leaders. Bernadette Meehan, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, said the reason Obama was withholding an invitation for Oval Office talks with Netanyahu was to "avoid the appearance" of trying to influence Israeli elections late