Critics say Obama is pushing Israel too much in the talks while not publicly pressing Abbas to make the concession of recognizing Israel as a Jewish state.

“Peace is a two-way street, and Abbas has failed to deliver on the necessary steps to pave the way for peace,” said House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) in a statement.

“Abbas refuses to accept Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, fails to combat incitement against the Jewish people and has been ineffective in delivering transparency and accountability within the Palestinian Authority. These steps are a necessary prerequisite to making peace achievable between Israel and the Palestinians.”

Ahead of Obama’s meeting with Abbas, the chairmen of the House committees overseeing the State Department urged Obama to take a tougher line, given what they said are concessions by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on economic assistance and freeing prisoners.