The onslaught on Israel was indirectly encouraged by the now widespread perception that, with Obama in the White House, America’s unwavering support for the Jewish state can no longer be taken for granted. The indifference of some European countries towards Israel’s call for help during the debate over the Goldstone report was not unrelated to their frustration at Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s refusal to freeze the settlements, as Obama has been insisting.