What is the US up to in its dealings with Israel over Gaza?

The Biden administration knows it cannot be seen to be lecturing or criticising and may have set itself irreconcilable goals

• Israel and Hamas at war - live updates

Few American diplomats have doubts about the personality of Benjamin Netanyahu, but it is an article of faith, particularly at a time of crisis, to hug him and Israel close, and defer the raw assessment to the memoirs.

The coldest relationship was between Barack Obama and Netanyahu. Obama accused the Israeli leader of justifying almost anything to stay in power. Netanyahu, stung by Obama's overtures to Iran and promise of a new beginning with the Muslim world, called him naive.