US and Israel ‘narrowing the gaps’ in rocky relationship

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to warm rocky relations yesterday – declaring after a White House meeting that any talk of a rift is unfounded.

Obama said the US-Israeli bond is unbreakable.

The president had praise for his guest, hailing as “real progress” Israel’s recent decision to ease its three-year blockade of the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip.