U.S. national security adviser to visit Israel in May

U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice will travel to Israel in May to head an American delegation for wide-ranging bilateral talks, the White House said Wednesday.

The announcement came two days after President Barack Obama met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House and they found themselves once again very publicly at odds as they discussed the sensitive issues of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and Iran's nuclear program.

"President Obama has asked National Security Adviser Susan Rice to travel to Israel in May to lead the U.S. delegation to the U.S.-Israel Consultative Group," a White House statement said.

"Ambassador Rice looks forward to her first visit to Israel as national security adviser to continue our strategic consultations on a wide range of bilateral and regional issues."