DON’T you just love Donald Trump? I mean in the ironic sense, of course. Over the last few days the president-elect’s nose has been a bit out of joint over America’s recent diplomatic spat with Israel. “We cannot continue to let Israel be treated with such total disdain and disrespect,” he tweeted in disgust.

The very idea of America treating Israel with “disdain and “disrespect,” is, as one might say, having a laugh. At the heart of Mr Trump’s ire is, of course, the UN Security Council’s resolution condemning Israel for violating international law with its policy of building settlements on occupied Palestinian land. That this occurred was, admittedly, a result of the United States’ decision to abstain in the vote. It was, in effect, a deftly executed parting diplomatic shot from the Obama administration aimed directly at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu whom Mr Obama has never exactly warmed to.

I would be the first to admit that, in an otherwise terribly depressing year on the international affairs front, the US abstention over Resolution 2334 was one of the more upbeat moments. Before getting carried away with Mr Obama’s diplomatic “coup de grace”, let’s not forget the facts underpinning Washington’s longstanding cosy relationship with Israel.

The truth is that Mr Obama’s presidency has not been so different to any other in this respect. Indeed only months before the UN Security Council vote, Washington bolstered America’s military budget to Israel by $38 billion (£31bn). During my years as a correspondent based in Jerusalem, I well recall T-shirts for sale on Palestinian stalls in the old city of predominately Arab East Jerusalem that had emblazoned across the chest the ironic slogan: “Don’t worry America, Israel is behind you.”

It was the Palestinians way of flagging up the extent to which the Zionist lobby in the US wields such profound and sometimes disproportionate political influence in Washington’s corridors of power. That much has never really changed, even under the Obama administration. Try as he might, Mr Obama was never really able to circumvent the influence of powerful lobbying bodies like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

How interesting it would be, then, if Israel’s latest attacks on Mr Obama, and its open alignment with president-elect Trump, suggested the first signs of a fracturing in the pro-Israel bipartisan consensus in the US.

The diplomatic language of late says lots about the prevailing mood between Israel and America. Mr Netanyahu pulled no punches when he called outgoing US Secretary of State John Kerry’s speech on Israeli-Palestinian issues biased and “obsessively focused” on settlements.

According to Mr Netanyahu, Mr Kerry had also “paid lip service to the unremitting Palestinian campaign of terrorism” against Israel. By any standards these are pretty harsh words. They were echoed by Israel’s ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer, who accused Mr Obama of being behind the “ganging up” on Israel at the UN. As far as Mr Netanyahu is concerned a lot of what he spouts is for domestic political consumption. If The Times of Israel newspaper is correct the Israeli Prime Minister needs all the help he can get at home right now. Only this week the paper published an article saying that the country’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has reportedly approved a full criminal investigation of Mr Netanyahu into allegations of bribery and fraud.

If Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump have anything in common, other than staunch defence of Israel, it’s that both are equally odious in their political double standards, hypocrisy and personal opportunism. Some in Israel, however, even among the political hardliners who would normally take Mr Netanyahu’s side over cracking down on the Palestinians, have voiced their disquiet about the prime minister’s response to the UN vote.

Dov Weisglass, a former senior advisor to the late Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, is no Mr Nice Guy. Only 10 years ago he was the man that said Israel would restrict food to Gaza “to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger”.

This week, however, he called his prime minister’s reaction to the UN resolution ridiculous. His remark was prompted by the fear that Mr Netanyahu’s response to the UN vote would only further antagonise the international community and strengthen the Palestinian cause.

“The attempt to create symmetry between us and the rest of the world and to punish the 14 countries that voted against us is actually making the Palestinian dream of isolating Israel internationally into reality,” Mr Weisglass said.

This, of course, is a reference to Mr Netanyahu’s summoning of Israel’s ambassadors from 10 countries, including the UK. Two more of its diplomats were recalled and plans were cancelled to meet Prime Minister Theresa May. Israel also announced cutting a total of about $8 million (£6.5m)in funding to five UN institutions and the possible withholding of another $48m (£39) in membership dues.

It was, in effect, Mr Netanyahu’s government resorting to type. In other words, if you don’t get your way bully them into line. This falling out between the Obama administration and Mr Netanyahu’s government has also brought some US democrats and Republicans to loggerheads. But don’t hold breath on this disagreement helping bring any real change to the plight of the Palestinians.

It’s no secret that the international community views Israel’s settlements as the biggest obstacle to peace with the Palestinians. Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory has always sat at the heart of the problem in the region.

Mr Obama and Mr Kerry’s diplomatic swansong does little more than ruffle the feathers of the Israeli government unless the international community continues to speak with one voice in condemning Israel’s existing and creeping annexation of Palestinian land. At the very least the US abstention on Resolution 2334 shows what can be done when the political will is there.

Only the politically naive would see it as heralding dramatic change in Washington-Jerusalem relations, given that the Obama administration’s parting gesture at the UN went almost hand in hand with the $38 billion package to Israel; this too, before president-elect Trump rides to the rescue of Washington’s Israeli allies.

“Stay strong Israel, January 20th is fast approaching!” declared Mr Trump during his Twitter tirade against the Obama administration a few days ago. Israel doubtless can’t wait for Mr Trump’s arrival in the White House. He will, I’m sure, make good his pledge to Washington’s long-time ally. He will also probably reserve his “total disdain” and “disrespect,” for the Palestinian people.