IIRC...it was Netanyahus peeps who contacted the WH about the invitation and never got a reply
Right.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin is making a scheduled trip to the UN. Several months ago during the planning, Rivlin asked the White House to meet with him during his UN trip. The White House stonewalled Rivlin until after the Netanyahu visit became controversial. Rivlin then declined Obama’s obvious political invitation, seeing it for the snub and opportunism it was.