White House confirms: Obama, Bibi to meet

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A White House official just confirmed to JTA earlier reports that President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet tomorrow.

Here’s the brief we just posted:

WASHINGTON (JTA) — President Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu will meet, officials said a day after Obama canceled a scheduled appearance before the Jewish federations’ General Assembly.

Obama and the Israeli prime minister will meet Monday in Washington, a White House official said, a day before Obama attends a memorial service at Fort Hood, Texas, for the 13 people gunned down at the U.S. Army base there on Nov. 5.

The U.S. leader had been scheduled to address the 3,000 participants at the Jewish Federations of North America on Tuesday. Netanyahu will speak to the group Monday.

A statement Saturday night from the Jewish Federations of North America said Obama explained he had to change his plans to attend the memorial service.

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, will speak Tuesday in Obama’s stead. Additionally, Obama is scheduled to meet Monday with a group of leaders from the federations’ umbrella.

Here’s my earlier story about anxieties over whether they would meet at all.

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