So Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu used to be rather civil. Not like besties making those photo frame pics of their beach day on Facebook kind of friends, but more like a sit down dinner catch-up once in while and maybe a Christmas card here and there kind of friends.

Alas it seems they have had something of a falling out since Obama took over the Oval Office, leading to some tensions in the relationship between Israel and the United States. The gradual deterioration of their relationship can be summed up by looking at three separate incidents, so let’s make like Patrick Swayze in ‘Dirty Dancing’ and break it down. Yes, I went there.

The most recent incident took place after Obama had just delivered his 2015 State of the Nation address (no violence, no hard hats, full signal). Obama was naturally critical of everything Republican, leading to opposition speaker John Boehner inviting Netanyahu to address the House of Congress. Sky reports:

The White House was not consulted and is incensed.

The invitation and acceptance is seen as a calculated, deliberate breach of diplomatic precedent by a foreign government conspiring with America’s opposition party.

Another incident took place in March of 2012, when Israel seemed to be moving closer to taking military action against Iran. Obama met with Netanyahu and reportedly talked him down, a change of heart the Israeli PM is now said to regret.

It wasn’t long after Obama took office that things started to go south with Netanyahu. It was very early on in his presidency that he prioritised a freeze in Israel building settlements on occupied land, and although he later recanted it set the tone for what has become a decidedly frosty relationship between the US and Israel.

Can’t they just sit down and have a lekker braai washed down with beer and whizzo, followed up by a greasy bacon and egg brekkie the next day to ease the hangover? OK, maybe not the bacon part but you get my drift.

[source:sky]