How Obama and Netanyahu Can Make Up

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Stop the leaks is the advice of Jonathan Schanzer, a vice president at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

“So much is flying back and forth that does not make either leader look competent and does not make the relationship look solid,” said Schanzer, who was a terrorism finance analyst under President George W. Bush.

“It makes very little sense to me that this administration has allowed for leaks given how tight their communications are,” he said. “From the Israeli side, we know leaking is a contact sport. Netanyahu needs to do a better job of keeping his right flank in check.”

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The Iranian nuclear program issue is deeply distorting the relationship, Schanzer said. Dealing with Iran’s suspected weapons program needs to come to a head.

“Whatever tensions existed during this latest round of violence with Hamas, tensions would not have been as high without the backdrop of Iran nuclear,” he said. “The fact that this has gone on for years without conclusion and the Israelis have been told and told to wait, it’s pushed both sides to a place where we do not want tensions to be.”