If there was still anyone with any doubt regarding the strained relationship between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and US President Barak Obama, the US President’s interview granted to The Atlantic Magazine adds a measure of clarity based on six hours of interviews with the American leader. President Obama spoke with correspondent Jeffrey Goldberg, who writes the Israeli leader was speaking in an arrogant tone.

In reference to a meeting between the two that took place in the Oval Office a number of years ago in which there was a sharp confrontation between the two. Goldberg writes PM Netanyahu was lecturing the US leader on the threats facing Israel until Obama cut him off and said “Bibi, you have to understand something. I’m the African American son of a single mother, and I live here, in this house. I live in the White House. I managed to get elected president of the United States. You think I don’t understand what you’re talking about, but I do.”

Obama admitted that his Secretary of Defense during his first term, Leon Panetta, questioned why Israel should be permitted to maintain its qualitative military edge over allied Arab nations, to which President Obama explained failing to do so would be a “moral failing” for him as president. He added that despite Panetta’s viewpoint, this was never the case during his first or second term as Israel maintains its upper hand, granted access to America’s most sophisticated weaponry.

Obama explained his 2009 address in Cairo, which brought Israel to its heels. The president explained he was seeking to mend US relations with Muslims worldwide. The president stated “Let’s all stop pretending that the cause of the Middle East’s problems is Israel.” The US leader explains he was hoping to trigger discussion that would lead to new Mideast realities and statehood for the PA (Palestinian Authority).

Regarding Iran, Mr. Obama said that if he saw evidence that Tehran was about to build an atomic bomb, an attack would have been ordered but this was not the case. Goldberg quotes the US leader saying “I actually would have if I saw a break out”.

Goldberg explained that while Obama wanted to prevent Iran from building a bomb, Netanyahu wanted to prevent Iran from possessing the capabilities to build one.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)