Present at the meeting will be Dan Shapiro, who handles Israel and its neighbors for the National Security Council, and Dennis Ross, who handles Iran.
By JTAbiden 311(photo credit: AP)
Jewish leaders will meet with Vice President Joseph Biden before he tours the Middle East.The organizational leaders will meet Biden at the vice president's residence Tuesday afternoon in a meeting that has not been flagged on Biden's official schedule.Present at the meeting will be Dan Shapiro, who handles Israel and its neighbors for the National Security Council, and Dennis Ross, who handles Iran. Biden visits Israel next week.Differences have emerged between the Netanyahu and Obamaadministrations over how to contain Iran's suspected nuclear weaponsprogram.Israel, with allies in the US Congress and backed by much of thepro-Israel community, wants tough and broad sanctions targeting Iran'senergy sector soon. The White House leans toward multilateral sanctionsmore narrowly targeting the country's leadership.The Obama administration is pressing the Israelis and Palestinians toreturn to talks. Israeli officials have said that such talks couldstart within weeks. The Palestinians have said they want a freeze onall Israeli settlement building before they return to talks.
