Obama to sign order Monday to help veterans get government jobs; meets later with Netanyahu

October 22nd, 2009 Obama signs veterans spending billWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Thursday signed into law a measure designed to keep funding for veterans' medical care steady amid future budget negotiations. Noting the Veterans Affairs Department is providing care for veterans without a Congress-approved budget right now, Obama said the new law would guarantee timely and predictable funding by laying out the VA budget ahead of schedule.

October 20th, 2009 Obama meets with Iraqi PM, honors vets, visits NYCWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (NOO'-ree ahl-MAHL'-ih-kee) in the Oval Office on Tuesday morning. Afterward, Obama holds a ceremony to honor recipients of a Presidential Unit Citation for actions in Vietnam.

September 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama is to host a trilateral meeting Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the White House announced. The trilateral meeting will be preceded by bilateral meetings between Obama and the two leaders, White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said Saturday, to lay the groundwork for the relaunch of negotiations.

September 15th, 2009 DAV seeks participates in online 'march'WASHINGTON — The Disabled American Veterans service organization is encouraging veterans and others to march in Washington — online at least. In what it dubs the "Million Claims March," the advocacy group is using social networking sites to encourage veterans to participate online in chats starting Tuesday about the backlog in disability claims at the Veterans Affairs Department and other veterans issues.

August 17th, 2009 In Pa., Shinseki pledges to modernize VA systemPHILADELPHIA — The nation's top veterans affairs official says medical benefits for veterans will not change under the health care reforms being considered in Washington. U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki spoke Monday at a town hall meeting with veterans in Philadelphia, where he pledged to modernize the Veterans Administration for the 21st century.

August 17th, 2009 Obama: VA care not affected by health overhaulPHOENIX — President Barack Obama says a proposed overhaul of the nation's health care system is not going to change how veterans get their medical services. Obama on Monday told a convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars that no one in Washington is talking about taking away their benefits.

August 17th, 2009 Veterans to routinely be offered HIV testsWASHINGTON — The Veterans Affairs Department on Monday began offering routine HIV tests to veterans who receive medical care. Under the new policy, veterans must verbally consent to the test, and they can opt to decline it.

August 17th, 2009 Obama to address VFW on MondayWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will speak to the nation's largest organization of combat veterans. Obama will address the 110th National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Phoenix on Monday.

August 12th, 2009 Obama to talk about military at VFW on MondayWASHINGTON — The White House says President Barack Obama will address the nation's largest organization of combat veterans next week. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said on Wednesday that Obama would speak to the Veterans of Foreign War convention on Monday in Phoenix.

June 25th, 2009 Netanyahu, French officials discuss peace effortsPARIS — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met France's prime minister and foreign minister Thursday, wrapping up a trip marked by differences with Washington and Paris over Jewish settlements. Netanyahu has been pressing his bid for a demilitarized Palestinian state in his meetings in Italy and Paris, and says the idea is gaining international ground.

June 21st, 2009 Netanyahu declines to second-guess Obama on IranWASHINGTON — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he isn't going to second-guess President Barack Obama's approach on Iran after the Tehran government's political crackdown. Obama has been criticized by Republicans and others for not saying more in defense of Iranians protesting the outcome of the presidential election.

June 15th, 2009 Netanyahu hopes for 'understanding'on settlementsWASHINGTON — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel cannot live side by side with a new Palestinian state if it must continually be in fear of attack. But Netanyahu repeated in a nationally broadcast interview his groundbreaking statement saying that he would accept a Palestinian state.

May 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama said during his first meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday that Tel Aviv must end its settlement activities in the West Bank in order to progress in the peace process with Palestinians. 'Settlements have to be stopped in order for us to move forward,' Obama said, placing him at odds with the conservative prime minister, whose government appears poised to expand a key settlement in the West Bank.

April 28th, 2009 Israeli President Peres to meet Obama next weekJERUSALEM — Israel's ceremonial president, Shimon Peres, meets next week with President Barack Obama, before the American leader sees Israel's new prime minister. A statement from Peres' office says he will represent Israel at the annual conference of AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby.

February 23rd, 2009 JERUSALEM - Israel's prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu met outgoing Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni Sunday night in an attempt to bring her Kadima party into the government he is attempting to form. It is the first meeting between the two since the Feb 10 elections, in which the centrist Kadima won 28 of the 120 Knesset seats at stake, one more than that won by Netanyahu's hardline Likud Party.