Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressing last year’s AIPAC conference. Photo: Maxine Dovere.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cancellation of a proposed meeting with US President Barack Obama put more strain on their troubled ties on Tuesday, just before a visit to Israel by Vice President Joe Biden.

The White House said on Monday it was “surprised” to learn first from Israeli media that Netanyahu had decided against coming to a conference of the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC in Washington on March 20, and the suggestion in some reports that among his reasons was Obama’s unavailability to see him.

Read full story at Reuters.