Netanyahu skipping nuclear summit

The Israeli PM’s decision to pass on the conference, which is being convened by President Barack Obama, in arguably the highest-profile sign of the tensions between the two leaders.

Netanyahu will send a deputy prime minister in his place, The Associated Press reported.

The summit will bring to Washington a number of world leaders to engage in discussions on nuclear arms and their proliferation. Israel is believed to be one of the handful of countries in the world to possess nuclear weapons.

The Israeli PM visited with Obama at the White House in late March, a visit that was marked by tensions between the two leaders over the Israeli government’s decision to pursue building in some areas of Jerusalem.

The two leaders talked for an extended period in a closed-door meeting in the Oval Office, only to break and then reconvene for more extended talks. The White House provided no on-camera availability or readout of the meeting, fueling speculation that it was a tense exchange.

Obama has been focusing squarely on nuclear security, announcing new conditions under which the U.S. would launch a nuclear strike, and signing a nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia.

The U.S. is also leading a push for United Nations sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program.