President Shimon Peres
Photo: AFP
Peres, Obama to meet Tuesday
White House releases Israeli president's engagements during Washington visit; Peres to also meet US Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
WASHINGTON – The White House on Saturday officially confirmed President Shimon Peres' meeting with his US counterpart Barack Obama, next week.
Peres, who will be attending an American Israeli Political Activity Committee conference in the US capital, will meet Obama on Tuesday afternoon at the White House.
The Israeli president will be landing at Andrews Airfield in Washington on Sunday morning. Monday will see both Obama and Peres speak at the AIPCA meeting.
While in Washington, Peres will also meet US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator John Kerry, who heads of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Senate; as well as give several press interviews.
Prior to meeting Obama on Tuesday, Peres will meet with US Vice President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D).
Meanwhile, the US secretary of state was asked Friday what the American administration was doing in order to ease the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip; to which she replied that the US was working to convince Israel to open the Gaza crossings and allow a more steady flow of essential good into the Strip.
The US, she said, had allotted $900 million for humanitarian aid meant for Gaza. Nevertheless, she added, making sure the money in used properly was "very difficult." Seeing an Israeli-Palestinian agreement materialize would make it easier to funnel the aid, she said.
