US President Barack Obama is due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.

美国总统奥巴马将要在华盛顿接见以色列总理本杰明·内塔尼亚胡。

Mr Netanyahu is now hoping for a better reception in the White House

They are expected to discuss a wide range of issues, including Iran's nuclear programme and efforts to start Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

The meeting comes a day after Israel said it would allow more consumer goods to enter the Gaza Strip.

But it said items including weapons and materials that could have a military use would be barred or limited.

Hamas（伊斯兰抵抗运动） , which has been controlling Gaza since 2007, dismissed the concessions¹（让步，优惠） as of no use and said the blockade（阻塞，封锁） should be fully² lifted.

Israel says its blockade of the Palestinian territory is needed to prevent the supply of weapons to Hamas.

Israel came under international pressure to ease its four-year blockade of Gaza after nine Turkish activists³ were killed in a 31 May Israeli raid on a flotilla that was trying to carry aid to the Palestinian territory.

The international Middle East envoy⁴, Tony Blair, told the BBC he believed the international outcry（强烈抗议，大声疾呼） which followed that raid persuaded it to accelerate the easing of the Gaza blockade.

"It is true to say that the Israeli government, I think, were moving towards a different policy anyway, but of course what happened has hugely accelerated the idea," he said.

'Better atmosphere'

The BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen says that Mr Obama and Mr Netanyahu will have plenty to talk about: what comes next in the gathering⁵ storm over Iran's nuclear programme; the changing strategic picture in the Middle East, epitomised by Turkey's public falling out with the Israelis; and how to establish a credible⁶ peace process with the Palestinians.

Last week Mr Netanyahu said he believed that a main part of the talks "will be focused on how to start direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians right away".

The Palestinians broke off（突然停止，暂停） direct peace talks after Israel launched a military offensive on Gaza in late 2008.

The start of indirect negotiations⁷ in March was halted after Israeli municipal authorities approved plans for the construction of new homes in a settlement in East Jerusalem, which Palestinians want as the capital of a future state.

Under the proximity⁸ talks（近距离间接会谈） , Mr Obama's Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, will shuttle between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to try to narrow their differences.

When the Israeli premier⁹ last visited the White House in March, he was snubbed（冷落，严厉斥责） by President Obama, who refused even to allow a photo of their meeting to be released, our editor says.

That was because of a row over an Israeli settlement plan in East Jerusalem.

Both sides want the atmosphere this time to be much better, our editor says.

However, he adds that - unlike his predecessor¹⁰ - President Obama is prepared to accept that some of Israel's actions are part of the problem in the Middle East. This continues to create irritation¹¹ - and nervousness - on the Israeli side.