US and Israel leaders to hold first post-Iran deal meeting

BBC News

US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set to meet for the first time since relations deteriorated over a nuclear deal between world powers and Iran.

The Washington talks come amid weeks of unrest between Israel and Palestinians.

Six Israelis were wounded in knife attacks by Palestinians on Sunday. A Palestinian who drew a knife on Israeli guards was shot dead on Monday.

Mr Netanyahu is seeking a boost in annual US military aid for Israel.

The talks are expected to pave the way towards an increase from $3.1bn (£2bn) a year to $5bn, media reports say.

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Relations between Mr Netanyahu and Mr Obama were strained over July's nuclear deal with Iran, which was bitterly opposed by Israel.

In the last week, the US has also expressed its surprise at Mr Netanyahu's choice of a new spokesman, Ran Baratz, who made controversial comments about administration officials.

On Facebook, Mr Baratz accused Mr Obama of anti-Semitism and described US Secretary of State John Kerry as having a "mental age" of no more than 12.

A US state department spokesman said the posts were "troubling and offensive". Mr Baratz will not be part of Israel's delegation.

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionThe past month has seen clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces

At a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Mr Netanyahu said the focus of the talks would be on "possible progress with the Palestinians, or at least stabilising the situation with them, and, of course, strengthening the security of the state of Israel".

On Monday morning a Palestinian woman was shot dead when she ignored warnings to stop after approaching security guards with a knife at a crossroads in the West Bank, Israeli officials said.

In the West Bank city of Nablus on Sunday, four Israelis were struck by a car driven by a Palestinian man, who was then killed by security forces.

A Palestinian woman stabbed a security guard close to a West Bank settlement south of Jerusalem before being shot by the victim. She remains in a serious condition in hospital.

And near the West Bank village of Nabi Elias, an Israeli man was stabbed by two people who then fled.

The upsurge in violence began in September, when tensions at a flashpoint holy site in East Jerusalem revered by Jews and Muslims boiled over amid rumours Israel planned to relax long-standing rules to strengthen Jewish rights at the complex.

Israel has repeatedly denied such claims.