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A US-imposed April deadline for reaching a 鈥渇ramework鈥� for final negotiation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is fast approaching. What does not seem to be getting any closer, however, is agreement from the two parties on a deal Secretary of State John Kerry has been doggedly pressing for throughout his first year on the job.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was at the White House Monday as part of a US visit that will take him to the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the influential pro-Israel lobbying organization, and on to California.

President Obama said going into his afternoon meeting with the Israeli leader that it would take 鈥渢ough decisions鈥� and compromise from both sides if an elusive two-state peace agreement is to be reached. But if Mr. Netanyahu has any compromise in mind, he鈥檚 not letting on.

Netanyahu, who came to Washington more interested in focusing on Iran and its nuclear program, pursued a theme on peace talks that he displayed upon landing Monday: It鈥檚 the Palestinians who are holding things up.

鈥淚srael has been doing its part and, I regret to say, the Palestinians have not,鈥� he said at the White House. Earlier Netanyahu was more colorful, saying as he arrived Monday 鈥渢he tango in the Middle East needs at least three鈥� dancers, although 鈥渇or years there have been [only] two 鈥� Israel and the US.鈥�

Secretary Kerry, who has made just shy of a dozen trips to the region over the past year 鈥� originally to reach a peace deal within a year, a goal that slipped to the current plan to reach a framework establishing the core areas for reaching a final accord 鈥� set the April deadline as a way of forcing some decision-making on talks that have appeared to be making very little headway.

A framework deal would set parameters for settling core issues, including: borders between Israel and a Palestinian state; the status of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and the status of Jerusalem; resolution of the issue of Palestinian refugees who lost property as a result of Israel鈥檚 creation; and recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.

A clearer picture of whether or not Kerry鈥檚 framework deal is possible could come this month, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas scheduled to meet with Obama at the White House March 17.

The Palestinian leader has shown some flexibility on Israeli security demands: for example indicating that some presence of Israeli security forces inside a Palestinian state along the border with Jordan 鈥� a key concern for Israel 鈥� could be acceptable for a defined period of time.

But the Palestinians remain opposed to Israel gaining international recognition as a Jewish state 鈥� What would that mean for Israel鈥檚 Arab citizens, they ask? 鈥� and they fear that US acceptance of Israel鈥檚 position on refugees would mean the end of Palestinian claims inside Israel.

Obama鈥檚 meetings 鈥� with Netanyahu Monday and then with Abbas later this month 鈥� suggest a new, or perhaps renewed, level of diplomatic engagement. Obama鈥檚 past forays into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have not gone so well, with Obama confronting a brick wall from Netanyahu: when at the outset of his presidency Obama openly challenged Israel鈥檚 settlement expansion policies, and then again when Obama called for negotiations of final borders between two states based largely on pre-1967 lines.

This time Obama is putting Israel鈥檚 security requirements front and center. But he also planned to tell Netanyahu that solving the conflict is in Israel鈥檚 best interest, US officials said, for reasons ranging from demographic trends 鈥� the growth of Israel鈥檚 Arab population and the challenges that will eventually pose to Israeli democracy 鈥� to signs of growing global impatience with Israel.

Obama gave a hint of his message to Netanyahu in an interview with Bloomberg View published Sunday, in which he warns of a shrinking US ability to protect Israel from the consequences of an unresolved Palestinian conflict.

鈥淚f Palestinians come to believe that the possibility of a contiguous sovereign Palestinian state is no longer within reach, then our ability to manage the international fallout is going to be limited,鈥� Obama said in the interview. The US under Obama has, for example, blocked Palestinian efforts to gain international recognition through the United Nations. But the ability to head off such efforts would be weakened with no negotiations under way, the US argues.

Kerry was set to speak Monday evening to AIPAC 鈥� and based on excerpts of his speech that the State Department released earlier in the day, he would press the position that resolution of the conflict is first and foremost good for Israel.

鈥淪ome folks have asked why I鈥檓 so committed to these negotiations, why I鈥檓 so convinced peace is possible. They ask: Why does John Kerry go to Israel so often?鈥� Kerry was slated to tell the conference. 鈥淲ith all due respect,鈥� he was to say, 鈥淚 think they鈥檙e asking the wrong question. This isn鈥檛 about me,鈥� he was to say. It鈥檚 about Israel鈥檚 long-term security, about the US 鈥渁s Israel鈥檚 closest friend and the world鈥檚 pre-eminent power鈥� defending that security.

鈥淭his is about the dreams of Israelis and the dignity of Palestinians,鈥� Kerry was slated to say.