Obama invites Abbas for June 9 talks

PA leader and Obama to discuss progress on "indirect peace talks."

Abbas half smile profile 311 (photo credit: AP)
Abbas half smile profile 311
(photo credit: AP)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will arrive Washington in two weeks to discuss the obstacles to peace with Israel with US President Barack Obama, the White House announced Thursday in a statement reported by Reuters.
"They will also discuss our continuing effort to work cooperatively to develop the institutions that can advance the aspirations of the Palestinian people, and support the establishment of a Palestinian state," said the statement.
Abbas' visit will follow a week behind Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's scheduled White House meeting on June 1 addressing the Iranian nuclear program and Palestinian issues.
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel handed Netanyahu an invitation to the White House meeting while on vacation in Israel for his son and nephew's bar mitzvas.