The two leaders emphasised very different issues during the comments they made to the cameras.

Mr Obama reiterated his commitment to a two-state solution between the Israelis and the Palestinians but Mr Netanyahu refrained, as he has done since he’s taken office, from uttering the words “Palestinian state”.

The Israeli prime minister emphasised repeatedly that his top priority was to deal with the threat Iran poses because of its nuclear programme and insisted that progress on the peace track went hand in hand with tackling Iran.

So while there was no public spat, the gap remains and may put a real dent in Mr Obama’s plans for grand peacemaking in the Middle East.