Is U.S. media tired of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

NEW YORK - The United Nations and major U.S. newspapers largely ignored Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with President Barack Obama on Monday.

None of the newspapers mentioned the meeting on the day it took place. Tuesday, the day after the meeting, the New York Times led with a front-page photograph of Michelle Obama in New York; Netanyahu and Barack Obama appeared on page 12.

A veteran Washington pundit said the American media's indifference was a sign that it was tired of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The commentator also said the media was dealing with a "wild" surfeit of stories about Obama and his nearly daily initiatives.

In one week, Obama discussed abortion, projects to fight air pollution and the deteriorating situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Even though UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon responds to a wide variety of issues on a daily basis, via statements from the UN spokeswoman's office, there was no response to the Netanyahu-Obama meeting.

This is particularly surprising considering the significant change in the relationship between the United States and the UN, expressed through Ambassador Susan Rice. The latter has taken a conciliatory position, as opposed to the suspicion evinced by the Bush administration.

Rice, who is close to Obama, has been promoting cooperation with the UN.

"Ban Ki-moon may have decided not to comment, assuming that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is now in the Americans' court," a senior diplomat in New York said. "Obama is important to [Ban] and he does not want to say anything that would anger the White House."