Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to use part of his meeting with Barack Obama today to make a plea on behalf of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard.

According to Arutz Sheva, the Israeli prime minister plans to bring up the continued captivity of Pollard, who has been imprisoned in the US since 1987.

A US Navy intelligence analyst, he was charged with giving military secrets to Israel and given a life sentence, although he claimed he only spied because the US authorities were withholding information crucial for Israel's security.

President Obama reiterated his committment to Israel's security and to challenging the Iranian threat during a speech at the annual Aipac conference last night. In today's meeting, at the White House, Iran is understood to be at the top of the agenda.