By Sky News US Team
Israel's prime minister has told America's largest pro-Israel lobby the two countries' ties are "stronger than ever" despite disagreements over nuclear talks with Iran.
Benjamin Netanyahu's appearance at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) came on the eve of a speech to the US Congress which has fuelled a rift with the Obama administration.
Mr Netanyahu accepted an invite from congressional Republicans to speak later, which was not co-ordinated with the White House.
He said: "Reports of the demise of the US-Israeli alliance are not only premature, but they're just wrong. Our alliance is stronger than ever."
Mr Netanyahu added: "My speech is not intended to show any disrespect to President Obama or the office he holds. I have great respect for both."
The White House was said to be infuriated because it was not consulted in advance of the invite, violating typical protocol.
It has also left Democrats in the uncomfortable position of being forced to choose between showing support for Israel and backing their president.
Sky News US correspondent Dominic Waghorn, in Washington DC, says: "For Mr Netanyahu to claim he did not intend any disrespect to Mr Obama is utterly disingenuous.
"Accepting the invitation to speak to Congress was an extraordinary breach with precedent and protocol.
"Mr Netanyahu knows Washington well enough to realise that a foreign government working with America's opposition party behind the back of the White House would only infuriate and offend the President."
However, the Israeli leader told AIPAC he had been compelled to address a "potential deal with Iran that could threaten the survival of Israel".
Mr Netanyahu is wary of the Obama administration's efforts to reach a nuclear agreement with Israel's arch-foe.
He fears Tehran will be left on the cusp of building the bomb, though the Iranians say their programme is for energy purposes.
Samantha Power, US ambassador to the UN, was applauded earlier as she assured the AIPAC conference: "There will never be a sunset on America's commitment to Israel's security. Never."
She also told the 16,000 delegates: "The United States will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. Period."
House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner plans to present Mr Netanyahu with a bust of Winston Churchill at his speech.
The gift was chosen as Mr Netanyahu and Britain's wartime prime minister are the only foreign leaders to have addressed Congress three separate times.
But the White House has said President Obama would not meet Mr Netanyahu because such an invite could be construed as showing bias in Israel's 17 March elections.
Last week, Mr Obama's national security adviser, Susan Rice, described the manner of Mr Netanyahu's visit as "destructive" for the US-Israeli relationship.
His trip comes as a 31 March target looms for a framework deal with Iran in exchange for possible sanctions relief.
On Monday, Secretary of State John Kerry was in Switzerland for another round of talks with Iran.
The US is negotiating alongside Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.
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