Israel braces for Obama ‘payback’

Israel braced for chillier ties with Washington, with pundits unanimous that a re-elected President Barack Obama will seek payback for Benjamin Netanyahu’s supporting Mitt Romney. “Netanyahu gambled, we will pay,” said a headline in top-selling daily Yediot Aharonot, referring to the Israeli prime minister’s ill-concealed backing for Obama’s Republican challenger in this year’s election. Tensions between the two leaders surfaced during Obama’s first term. Their public meetings were characterized by a clear lack of chemistry, and differences over such key issues as the peace process and how to handle the Iranian nuclear threat sometimes spilled over into high-profile public dispute. But it was Netanyahu’s backing for Romney that appeared to rattle the Obama administration most and was likely to see the president seeking to “settle scores” with the Israeli premier, the Maariv newspaper said.

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