Obama reportedly to meet Abbas next week

David Jackson | USA TODAY

In addition to chemical weapons in Syria, a military takeover in Egypt, and the nuclear challenge in Iran, President Obama is also dealing this month with the long-standing Middle East dispute between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Palestinian officials reportedly say President Mahmoud Abbas will meet with Obama on Monday, part of the U.S. president's annual trip to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly.

The White House announced this week that Obama will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sept. 30 in Washington, D.C.

From the AFP wire service:

"Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have been holding talks in secret since August after marathon efforts by US Secretary of State John Kerry brought them back to the table. The last round of direct talks between the two sides collapsed in September 2010.

Abbas won a diplomatic victory less than a year ago when on November 29 the United Nations General Assembly voted to upgrade the status of the Palestinian Authority to that of a 'non-member observer state' despite US and Israeli objections."