CRS report via FAS – Israel: Background and U.S. Relations in Brief, Jim Zanotti, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs. January 6, 2017.

“U.S.- Israel Relations in a Time of Transition – For decades, strong bilateral relations have fueled and reinforced significant U.S.-Israel cooperation in many areas, including regional security. Nonetheless, at various points throughout the relationship, U.S. and Israeli policies have diverged on some important issues. Significant differences regarding regional issues—notably Iran and the Palestinians—have arisen or intensified since 2009, during the tenures of President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Since the 2016 U.S. election, a number of developments involving President-elect Donald Trump, the Obama Administration, Israeli leaders, and various other actors (including Members of Congress) have arisen. These developments have already affected U.S. policy in relation to Israel or may af fect it following Trump’s inauguration; they include the following.

• Several controversies regarding Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including the U.N. Security Council’s adoption of Resolution 2334 (UNSCR 2334) on December 23, 2016, by a vote of 14 in favor, zero against, and one abstention by the United States.
• Principles advanced as a possible basis for future Israeli-Palestinian negotiations by Secretary of State John Kerry on December 28, 2016, and other statements and actions r elated to issues of Israeli-Palestinian dispute as the U.S. presidential transition approaches.
• The possibility that the incoming Administration could move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
• Public efforts by Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders to influence the incoming Administration’s stance on the 201 5 Iran nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA)”