Initial reports claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to break off his trip to North America and return home from Canada yesterday after the Israeli Navy's raid on the Gaza flotilla. But sources inform "Globes" that it was the Obama administration that initiated the cancellation of today's scheduled meeting in the White House between Obama and Netanyahu.

As soon as news of yesterday's incident broke there were hectic consultations between Netanyahu's advisors and White House staff. After the scale of events became clear, the Israelis received a clear message from Washington: It is worth postponing the visit.

Today's meeting between Obama and Netanyahu had been planned as a high profile media opportunity and "charm offensive" to show that there was no rift between the US and Israel. There were even rumors that Obama was going to announce that he would be visiting Israel in August or early September.

Obama's aides feared that being seen with Netanyahu would damage the US president's image.

Netanyahu's entourage is officially insisting that it was the Israeli prime minister who postponed the meeting. However, a source close to the prime minister told "Globes" that the Americans, not the Israelis, wanted to postpone the meeting.

Netanyahu's advisors had been hoping to exploit the Washington stage to give an appropriate response to the global propaganda against Israel and show the world that at least the US stood alongside Israel.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 1, 2010

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