Senior U.S. officials in both the State Department and White House denied reports that the Obama administration has stopped informing Israel about Iran nuclear talks as a result of anger over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upcoming speech before a joint session of Congress, according to statements provided to the Washington Free Beacon.
Reports emerged Sunday in the Israeli press that the Obama administration will no longer provide Israel with updates about its ongoing negotiations with Iran over its contested nuclear program.
Israeli news outlets claimed that Obama's national security adviser, Susan Rice, had cut off contact with her Israeli counterpart, Yossi Cohen, out of "revenge" over Netanyahu's speech, which has attracted a backlash from the Obama administration and congressional Democrats.
Senior Obama administration officials denied the reports as false and told the Free Beacon that conversations with Israel are ongoing.
"Conversations continue with Israel on the Iran nuclear negotiations," a senior State Department official who asked not to be named told the Free Beacon on Sunday. "Under Secretary Sherman met with Israeli NSA Cohen and Minister for Intelligence and Strategic Planning Steinitz in Munich and will see NSA Cohen again this week (the Iran negotiations were obviously the main topic of conversation)."
"And Secretary Kerry continues his conversations with Prime Minister Netanyahu about this issue, as has always been the case," the senior official said.
The White House National Security Council (NSC) also pushed back against the reports.
"This report is patently false," NSC Spokesperson Alistair Baskey said in a statement Sunday. "National Security Adviser Rice maintains regular contact with her Israeli counterpart National Security Adviser Cohen on the full range of issues of mutual concern to our nations, and will in fact meet with him later this week at the White House."
"We also continue our frequent and routine contact at various professional levels within the intelligence, military, and diplomatic spheres," the NSC said.
Israeli officials also denied the reports when asked by the country's media.
Meetings between Israeli and U.S. officials have continued and "documents were exchanged," according a senior Israeli official quoted by the Times of Israel. Subsequent meetings are in the works, according to the official.
"The strategic ties between Israel and the U.S. run deep," the prime minister’s office said in a statement provided to the Times of Israel. "Yossi Cohen, the head of the Israel National Security Council, will go this week to Washington to attend a conference, where he will meet them both."
Relations between the Obama administration and Israel have been tense, with the situation being exacerbated by Netanyahu's upcoming speech.
The White House expressed displeasure with Netanyahu for accepting an invitation to speak to Congress about the dangers posed by a nuclear Iran.
The White House's campaign sparked a reprisal from Republican lawmakers, several of whom told the Free Beacon earlier this week that the Obama administration's tactics are harming Israel.
"The real issue is the president’s reluctance to hear a dissenting voice challenging his assumption that the Iranians are negotiating in good faith over their nuclear program," Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) said earlier this week.
At least 15 Democrats have said they would boycott Netanyahu's speech, a situation that has caused anger among Republicans.
"It is an unnecessary reckless act of foolishness to skip out on this joint session of Congress," Rep. Lee Zeldin (R., N.Y.), Congress' sole Jewish Republican, said last week. "It’s a critical hour and there really should be no questions where they belong. It’s very telling as to who has their priorities misplaced when looking around that room and seeing who decides to skip out for all the wrong reasons."