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Netanyahu Boasts of 'Lecturing' Obama in Oval Office Ahead of Elections (VIDEO)

While relations between Israel and the US during the Obama administration were rather complicated, Trump's ascent to the presidency has led to a drastic positive shift in Washington's policy towards Tel Aviv.
Sputnik

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has published on his Twitter an outtake from the PBS documentary "Netanyahu at War" showing a moment, where he explains his take on the Israeli-Arab conflict to then US President Barack Obama in 2011. The documentary narrator dubs the moment as Netanyahu "lecturing" the US president in the Oval Office, something that the commentators, interviewed by the PBS, called "outrageous" and "humiliating".

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In the video, the Israeli prime minister explains that Israel can't negotiate with the Palestinian Authority as it "is backed by the Palestinian version of Al-Qaeda" and that Israel can't return to its 1967 borders, as they are "indefensible".

The publication drew criticism from the lobby group "J Street", which indicated that Netanyahu should be grateful for the Obama administration's aid to Israel instead of criticising "the lack of respect".

"This video is unnecessary and even more severely is devastating to bipartisan American support for Israel", Yael Patir, head of J Street, said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently facing upcoming elections as he struggles to win the race against Benny Gantz and his Blue and White party, which are seen as one of Netanyahu's main rivals.

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The prime minister had complicated relations with the Obama administration and harshly criticised one of its key diplomatic achievements — the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that lifted sanctions from Iran. Netanyahu called the deal a "capitulation" and "a bad mistake of historic proportions".

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