Netanyahu Can't Bear to Say 'Two-State'

WASHINGTON - While reaffirming the "special relationship" between their two countries, United States President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared unable to bridge major differences in their approaches to Iran and Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts following their White House meeting here on Monday.

While Obama said he may be prepared to impose additional sanctions against Iran early next year if diplomatic efforts to persuade it to curb its nuclear program failed to make progress, he refused to set what he called "an arbitrary deadline". Israeli officials had pressed Washington for an early October deadline.