Netanyahu's Washington trip clouded by Abbas threat

By Jeffrey Heller

TEL AVIV, Israel (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Washington on Sunday with the U.S. Middle East peace drive in crisis over a threat by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to stand down.

Though Abbas's potential departure could mean the loss of a pivotal partner for Middle East peace talks, U.S. President Barack Obama has not said whether he will hold talks with Netanyahu while he is in Washington.

Spokesmen for Netanyahu said the main reason for his four-day trip, which will include a Paris stopover for talks with France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, was a speech on Monday to a forum of North American Jewish leaders in Washington.

Efforts were being made to arrange a meeting with Obama as well, though the White House had yet to confirm it, they said. Israeli commentators say no invitation to see Obama would amount to an embarrassing snub by Israel's largest ally.

Netanyahu aide Nir Hefetz rejected any suggestion of a chill in ties with Washington over obstacles in the way of Obama's goal of renewing peace talks, stalled since the Gaza war.

"It takes time to build personal relations, and I believe we are on the way to doing so," Hefetz said on Israel Radio.

Netanyahu has declined to comment on Abbas's announcement he will not stand in elections scheduled for January 24 -- a move that could keep peace talks on hold for months to come.

"NOT EXCITED"