Efforts Underway For Israeli PM’s Wife, US First Lady To Meet

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s aides have been busy trying to arrange a meeting between his wife, Sara, and first lady Michelle Obama.

Mrs. Netanyahu said she has been interested in having such a meeting, but it is unclear whether one will take place.

“We are attempting to schedule a meeting between Sara Netanyahu and Michelle Obama [for today],” said a source in the prime minister’s entourage.

This could prove difficult because Mrs. Obama is presently away from Washington.

The tradition so far has always been, during an Israeli prime minister’s first visit to Washington, for the wives of the two leaders to meet for a joint meal.

Mrs. Obama, it seems, had other plans.

She is in no hurry to meet with wives of leaders who visit Washington and prefers cultural and social events instead. But the last word has yet to be said, and indeed, if the efforts of the Israelis bear fruit, Mrs. Netanyahu will be able to hold a face-to-face meeting with the first lady of the United States.

During Mr. Netanyahu’s fist visit to Washington in the course of his first term as prime minister in the 1990s, Mrs. Netanyahu met with then first lady Hillary Clinton.

Even if she does not meet with the president’s wife, a busy schedule still awaits Sara Netanyahu, and she has already been rather busy.

Yesterday, she paid an official visit to the Holocaust Museum, met with professionals in her field – child psychology – visited a local school and also met with Noa Meridor, the wife of Israeli Ambassador to Washington Sallai Meridor.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com