Obama to skip United Jewish Communities General Assembly

Despite being slated to speak at the United Jewish Communities General Assembly on Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday that he will instead be attending the memorial service for the American soldiers recently killed at Fort Hood, Texas.

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will address the 3000 prominent Jewish guests from around the world expected to attend the assembly, instead of the president.

On Monday Obama will meet with Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu in a last-minute meeting, despite suspicions that the Israeli requested meeting will not take place.

Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office tried on Saturday to lower expectations over the importance of such a meeting. “It won’t be the end of the world if it doesn’t happen,” they said.