Ambassador Tries to Bridge Gap With U.S., but on Israel’s Terms

nytimes.com - WASHINGTON — Over an elegant dinner at his official residence Monday night, Ron Dermer, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, tried to reassure a group of congressional Democrats that the dramatic public break between President Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was nothing more than a passing disagreement.

Every American president since Harry S. Truman has had differences with Israel, Mr. Dermer told the group, and they always work themselves out.

Representative Steve Israel, Democrat of New York, who initiated and organized the dinner, said, “What people need to do right now is read a little bit of history, take a deep breath and relax, because every administration has had moments of tension with Israel, and it’s always forgotten.”