U.S. President Barack Obama has convinced the Israelis that the U.S.-Israel relations would not be undermined by their disagreement over Jewish settlement activities. Speaking on the Fox News Channel, President Obama said on Wednesday that friends are going to disagree sometimes. His comments came days after one of his top aides strongly attacked plans for 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem.<br/> Meanwhile, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has distanced himself from an attack on Mr Obama by his brother-in-law. Hagai Ben-Artzi had accused the US leader of being anti-Semitic. Mr Netanyahu said he strenuously objected to his brother-in-law's comment and expressed his deep appreciation for Mr Obama's commitment to Israel's security.<br/> The Palestinian Authority has refused to resume direct talks with Israel because of its refusal to put a stop to the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.