Has Gaza Conflict Brought New Low In U.S.-Israel Relationship?

(CNN) -- Tensions between U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been strained for years. But the conflict in Gaza has ushered in a new low, some analysts say.

"It's probably the worst relationship between a leader of the United States and a leader of Israel since all the way back to the Eisenhower days," says David Gergen, a senior political analyst for CNN who served as adviser to four U.S. presidents. "The relationship has gotten rockier over this period during the war."

While Obama and Netanyahu emphasize friendship and mutual support publicly, a series of recent events present a different picture.

Blaming Israel for an attack that killed several people at a school in Gaza, the United States said it was "appalled" by the "disgraceful shelling" -- sharp criticism from Washington rarely heard when Israel is engaged in battle.

"When you have a situation where innocent civilians are killed in Gaza, there's more that Israel can do to hold themselves to their own standards," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

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http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/05/politics/israel-us-relationship/