Exactly, “working relationship.”
(INN) — The White House is trying to stifle diplomatic fallout from an open microphone incident in which President Barack Obama appeared to show frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
In a recent conversation between Obama and French President Nikolas Sarkozy, the latter said about Netanyahu, “I cannot stand him. He is a liar.”
Obama reportedly replied, “You’re fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day!”
The conversation took place last week in a private room after a press conference at the G20 summit in Cannes. The two leaders did not know that their microphones were open and that reporters outside still were wearing their headphones they had used to hear simultaneous translations of President Obama’s remarks in public.
The French Web site Arret sur Images published the conversation.
The White House would not deny or confirm the conversation on Tuesday, but AFP reported on Wednesday that a top official has insisted Obama had a good relationship with the Israeli prime minister.
Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security advisor, was quoted as having told reporters that Obama had a “very close working relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu. They speak very regularly.”