Amid growing concerns over Iran and worries that Israel may attack Iranian nuclear facilities, US President Barack Obama has invited Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for a meeting on March 5.

The White House meeting will be following the just-concluded visit of US National Security Advisor Donilon to Israel, during which he had called on Netanyahu, Defence Minister Ehud Barak and others. Without making any reference to Iran, a brief White House statement spoke of the US’s “unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security” and said President Obama was looking forward to the upcoming meeting with Netanyahu.

It will be Netanyahu’s first meeting with Obama since they last met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in September.