Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travels to the United States this week, his first visit since new Middle East peace talks were launched in early September, only to stall over the resumption of Israel's settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
Mr. Netanyahu will fly to the southern city of New Orleans, Louisiana, where he will meet with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and attend the annual General Assembly of the Jewish Federation of North America.
The Israeli leader will not see U.S. President Barack Obama, who will be out of the country on an Asian trip that takes him to India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan.
Mr. Netanyahu told his weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday that he will be updating Vice President Biden on the renewal of the peace process with the Palestinians. The Israeli leader has so far refused U.S. and Palestinian demands to reimpose a moratorium on the building of Israeli settlements on West Bank territory.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.