Obama: Netanyahu attacked US to deflect attention from settlements

Channel 2 previews an interview it will broadcast on Tuesday with US President Barack Obama, in which the outgoing leader criticizes Netanyahu for his claims that the US orchestrated last month’s anti-settlement UN resolution and stabbed Israel in the back.

“That kind of hyperbole, those kind of statements don’t have basis in fact,” Obama says in a clip of the interview aired by the TV station. “They may work well with respect to deflecting attention to the problem of settlements. They may play well with Bibi’s political base, as well as the Republican base here in the US, but they don’t match up with the facts.”

Obama also expresses doubts whether Trump will in fact end up being better for the Israeli prime minister, ducking a question on whether he is planning any more moves in the international arena, or will let him “sleep well until January 20.”

“I think there’s an interesting question as to whether he’ll sleep better after January 20,” Obama says.

In a portion of the interview not aired, Obama says Netanyahu already had the best friend in the White House, but didn’t always realize it, according to Channel 2.