The Hill News

Israel should receive better treatment by the Obama administration, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said.

"I think the president could've been stronger in his support of Israel," Boehner said in an interview with Newsmax magazine released Tuesday evening. "I think they've put far too much pressure on the Israelis to come to an agreement with the Palestinians even though they're supported by Hamas.

Boehner's comments come shortly after Obama was caught on an open mic with French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressing a less than perfect relationship between the American and Israel president.

"I cannot bear Netanyahu; he's a liar," Sarkozy said last week, unaware that his comments were in the range of a microphone.

"You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you," Obama said in response. 

The report of Obama and Sarkozy's comments was published Tuesday.

Republicans quickly seized on Obama's comments and urged Obama to take them back and apologize.

Boehner said the Obama administration should be a warmer ally to Israel.

"And I just think we've gone way over the line. Israel is our ally," Boehner continued in the interview. "They've been our friends for 60 years. When you look at that part of the world, it's the one ally year in and year out, day in and day out and frankly, I think they should be treated better."

Obama and Netanyahu have had, at moments strained negotiations on Israel's policies toward the Palestinians. Republicans have criticized this tension as a sign that Obama could be a better ally to Israel.