Last Updated Mar 5, 2018 12:07 PM EST
President Trump is welcoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House on Monday for a day of meetings while he’s under investigation at home and the top U.S. negotiator for Middle East peace, Jared Kushner, is under increased scrutiny here. Netanyahu’s visit coincides with the American Israel Public Affairs Conference, where he is slated to deliver remarks to the pro-Israel body this week.
Mr. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeted Netanyahu and his wife Sara outside the South Portico of the White House shortly after 12:00 pm on Monday. The couples exchanged warm greetings and posed for photographs outdoors before heading inside for their Oval Office meeting.
The prime minister’s visit to Washington follows the president’s announcement that the U.S. recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s official capital and plans to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2019.
Netanyahu’s visit with Mr. Trump also comes as the administration’s efforts in brokering a peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians appear to be stalled. Mr. Trump has conceded that Israeli-Palestinian peace will be difficult to achieve, but has pledged to work toward it and has expressed confidence that it would happen eventually.
“It’d be a fantastic achievement. We are giving it an absolute go,” Mr. Trump said during a meeting in New York with Netanyahu in September. “I think there’s a good chance that it could happen.”
Adding a wrinkle into the mix, after the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner’s security clearance downgrade, questions have been raised about whether that will affect his work on a Mideast peace plan. The White House insists that Kushner will still be able to carry out his responsibilities.
“As I told Jared days ago, I have full confidence in his ability to continue performing his duties in his foreign policy portfolio including overseeing our Israeli-Palestinian peace effort and serving as an integral part of our relationship with Mexico,” Chief of Staff John Kelly said.
CBS News’ Emily Tillett contributed to this report.
© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
