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Netanyahu to Meet Obama on July 6

   VOA News 20 June 2010

Photo: AP

   Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

   The  White  House  says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will
   meet President Barack Obama on July 6.
   Mr.  Obama's  top aid Rahm Emanuel told ABC news Sunday on the program
   "This  Week"  that  Mr.  Netanyahu  will visit the White House in July
   after their planned talks on June 1 were abruptly canceled.
   Israeli  forces  launched  a deadly raid on a flotilla trying to break
   Israel's  three-year-old  blockade  on  Gaza  the  day  before the two
   leaders were scheduled to meet.
   The  raid  has  strained  relations between the U.S. and Israel.  Mr.
   Obama  has  called the situation in the Gaza Strip "unsustainable" and
   has  announced  a  $400  million  aid  package  for  civilians  in the
   Palestinian territories.

   Last  week,  Israel  announced  it  was easing its blockade of Gaza to
   allow   more   humanitarian   aid  into  the  Hamas-ruled  Palestinian
   territory. It's not known when Israel will start easing the blockade.
   U.N.   Secretary-General   Ban   Ki-moon  said  he  welcomes  Israel's
   announcement but still wants an international panel to investigate the
   Israeli raid on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
   At  a  Friday  briefing,  Mr. Ban called for establishing a panel that
   would  be under the guidance of a third party but would include active
   participation from Israel and Turkey. Â
   Israel  has  instead  set up its own commission with two international
   members   to   investigate   the   commando   raid   that   left  nine
   pro-Palestinian  activists dead.  Eight of the activists were Turkish
   and one was American-Turk.
   Israel  has  been  facing  intense  international  pressure to end the
   blockade after its forces last month intercepted the aid flotilla that
   was trying to deliver goods directly to Gaza.
   Israel  imposed  the  blockade  on Gaza in 2007, after the Palestinian
   militant group Hamas took control of the territory.

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