Obama, Netanyahu Set For First Meeting Since Iran Deal

Obama and Netanyahu, who have a history of testy White House encounters, showed no outward sign of tension, looking cordial and businesslike as they held their first face-to-face talks in 13 months.

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators march to protest the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in front of the White House on Monday.

Obama and Netanyahu's meeting at the White House marked the first time the two leaders have talked face to face in more than a year.

Netanyahu, who has previously used Oval Office appearances with Obama to argue that Iran poses an existential threat to Israel, did not even refer to the nuclear deal in his remarks but put the threat Israel feels from Iran in the context of its support for anti-Israel terror groups. He also emphasized his preference for a two-state solution, but did not give any ground on the Israelis' long-standing conditions for achieving that solution.

Earnest said there was a "pretty stark divide" right now between Israelis and Palestinians that needs to be bridged, adding that Netanyahu's comments on his hopes for peace were "encouraging, but what matters is the follow through".

While White House officials, including Vice President Joe Biden, have expressed displeasure over the appointment, Obama was not expected to have brought the matter up in the meeting.

Since then, Washington and other world powers reached a landmark nuclear accord with Tehran in a move Israel strictly opposed.

While the president referenced his well-known disagreement with Netanyahu over the nuclear deal, he said that both stood together in their commitment to preventing Iran from ever acquiring nuclear weapons.

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images Obama and Netanyahu met up to turn the page on their Iran nuclear deal differences and discuss tactics to end the violence in the Middle East.

He condemned Palestinian violence, though he didn't raise the question of official "incitement" of those attacks, which would have pleased Israeli officials.

On November 9, Netanyahu was publicly reserved in criticism, as he said, "We have not given up hope for peace".

"It will be expiring in a couple of years but we want to get a head start on that to make sure that both the U.S. and Israel can plan effectively for our defence needs going forward", said the United States president.

"Israel has shouldered a tremendous defense burden over the years", he said.

A close associate said on Monday that Netanyahu planned to present a package of "gestures" to the Palestinians in the areas of employment, communication, water and construction.

"We are obviously tested, today, in the instability and insecurity in the Middle East, as you described it. I think everybody can see it", Netanyahu said. He also said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has the mental capacity of a 12-year-old.