Israeli President Shimon Peres has urged Israelis to show respect for the United States, seeking to soothe relations with Israel’s ally that have been strained over Iran's nuclear programme.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned a proposal, endorsed by Washington, to reduce sanctions if Iran suspends parts of its nuclear program.
Several ministers have also harshly criticized Washington, prompting Peres to intervene.
"We must not underestimate the importance of this friendship. There can be disagreements, but they must be conducted with a view to the true depth of the situation," Peres said.
"If we have disagreements we should voice them, but we should remember that the Americans also know a thing or two. We are not the only ones," he said.
Tensions between Jerusalem and Washington rised last week in the wake of negotiations between world powers and Iran in Geneva.
Netayahu said sanctions against Tehran must remain until Iran dismantles its entire uranium enrichment program, arguing that anything less would enable it to develop nuclear bombs.
The terms of a deal between the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) and Iran are to be discussed again on November 20.
US Secretary of State Kerry said Netanyahu was over-reacting to the proposed deal and a State Department spokeswoman dismissed an Israeli estimate of its impact on sanctions as "inaccurate, exaggerated and not based in reality".
Netanyahu has said he would not be bound by the terms of the Iran deal and reiterated that Israel would take military action if it thought Iran was close to getting an atomic bomb.
Netanyahu has called on France to remain firm in its pressure on Iran ahead of the upcoming talks with Iran in Geneva.
His comments, made during an interview with French daily Le Figaro, came days before French President Francois Hollande’s high-profile visit to Israel starting Sunday, his first trip to the country as head of state.
Netanyahu told Le Figaro that Israel stands behind France and called on Hollande “not to waver” on its objections to an interim nuclear deal with Iran. ”We hope that France will not yield in its stance toward Iran,” Netanyahu told the French daily.
Hollande has opposed lifting sanctions on Iran until it can provide further guarantees.
In last week’s talks in Geneva Paris’s tough position on Iran was said to have prevented the global powers from signing an interim agreement with Tehran, one that would have included limited sanctions relief in return for a partial freeze of the country’s nuclear program.
“For us, the United States remains an important ally, the most important ally. But our relationship with France is also very special,” Netanyahu added.
“On the Iran issue, our countries have defended common stances for years, regardless of the party in power, and we are maintaining this vital partnership with President Hollande,” he said. “We salute Hollande's consistent and determined position on the Iranian issue.”
Netanyahu stated the government’s opposition to Iran having heavy water reactors or centrifuges that could be used to enrich radioactive material and conducting research that leads to the development of an atomic weapon.
He concluded: “My view is that we must not lower our guard against a regime that helps Syrian President Bashar Assad kill tens of thousands of men, women and innocent children; spreading terrorism around the world; arming Hezbollah, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad with thousands of rockets aimed at Israeli towns; and finally, calls for the destruction of the State of Israel.”