"Candid discussion"The White House today released a statement on Vice President Joe Biden's dinner for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, held last night at Biden's residence. The brief statement included a partial guest list; General Jim Jones was in attendance, as was Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
The White House statement:
Last evening, the Vice President and General Jones had a working dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Barak at the Vice President’s residence at the Naval Observatory, together with their delegations. They had a productive, candid discussion on the full range of issues in the bilateral relationship, in preparation for the meeting later today between the President and the Prime Minister.
The White House didn't release a photo from the dinner meeting, but the Israeli Government Press Office did (above). At yesterday's afternoon briefing with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, reporters questioned if Netanyahu is being kept "under wraps" during his visit to Washington; he's also scheduled to meet with President Obama. Gibbs debunked the theory. Some of the exchange:
Q Just to follow quickly on the Middle East -- so there’s no coverage, there’s going to be no public statement with the President appearing --
PRESS SECRETARY GIBBS: No.
Q This is the second time in a row that Prime Minister Netanyahu has visited and you guys have not had any cameras. Is there -- is this just a coincidence?
MR. GIBBS: I think this is the fourth meeting, if I'm not mistaken, with Prime Minister Netanyahu -- two were open with sprays, two have been --
Q This is the second straight visit to the White House, though, with no public statements. Not a coincidence, or it is a coincidence? Is there --
MR. GIBBS: I think they’ll have a good discussion.
Q Why do you want to play it down?
Q Yes, I mean, isn’t this a helpful thing to --
MR. GIBBS: You guys seem to be let in on a secret that the meeting is happening.
Q Secret? (Laughter.)
Q Well, why wouldn’t they both want to reassure the world that relations are not frayed?
MR. GIBBS: We said that a week ago.
Q Right, but why won't they go public -- the leaders?
MR. GIBBS: I can tell you that -- I can tell you that they’re not frayed and that our bond with the Israelis is strong.
Q So this is how an ally -- so an ally comes and visits, no picture, no back-slapping, hey -- relations with the Associated Press are great between -- I know, I mean -- it does seem odd --
MR. GIBBS: You lost me in that otherwise pretty good analogy.
