Obama Visit Could See Three-Way Summit: Israel Minister

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas and Barack Obama could hold a three-way summit during the US president’s upcoming visit, Israel’s deputy foreign minister said on Saturday.

“During the visit of President Obama, a three-way summit could take place or even four-way with King Abdullah II of Jordan,” Danny Ayalon said, quoted by Israeli army radio.

“I think preparations are already underway for a summit meeting between Obama, Netanyahu, Abu Mazen (Abbas) and perhaps Jordan’s King Abdullah, who the Americans want to boost,” Ayalon said, without giving details.

Peace activists, meanwhile, have launched a Facebook page to press for Obama to give a speech at Tel Aviv’s Yitzhak Rabin Square, named after Israel’s former premier at the site where he was gunned down in 1995 by a Jewish extremist.

The initiative was taken “to show the American president that the Israeli people want peace and that a public speech could give hope and energy to those struggling for it,” Peace Now head Yariv Oppenheimer told the radio.

Obama is to visit Israel for the first time as president as soon as next month on a trip that also includes stops in the Palestinian territories and Jordan. A date has yet to be announced.

Ahram