WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday the chemical weapons attack in Syria threatened U.S. allies Israel and Jordan and said his preference would have been for the international community to move forward on a response. While meeting with visiting leaders at the White House, Obama told reporters the United States was still in the planning process for a response to the chemical weapons use in Syria. He said he was looking at a limited action against Syria that would not involve an open-ended commitment or major military operation. Reporting by Steve Holland, writing by Jeff Mason; editing by Christopher Wilson