US has 'no grand expectations' from summit
White House press secretary says Obama administration looking to continue making progress toward resumption of peace talks between Israel, Palestinians during three-way meeting with Netanyahu, Abbas on Tuesday
The White House says it has "no grand expectations" for US President Barack Obama's meeting Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Obama will meet separately with each leader, then hold three-way talks while in New York for meetings of the United Nations General Assembly.
Asked Monday what Obama expects from the talks, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the administration is looking to continue making progress toward a resumption of peace talks between the parties.
He said "we have no grand expectations" for one meeting. Gibbs commented as Obama flew to upstate New York to give a speech on innovation.
Prime Minister Netanyahu took off to New York on Monday afternoon. Senior state officials said Sunday that the trilateral meeting may turn out to be solely symbolic if the gaps between the sides were not bridged.
Roni Sofer contributed to this report
