The American ambassador to Britain has attempted to soothe the Jewish community's fears about his country's relationship with Israel and the upcoming presidential election.
Speaking at St John's Wood United Synagogue in north London, ambassador Matthew Barzun also condemned Iran as "an incredibly disruptive force in Lebanon and Syria, and a state-sponsor of terror" and said proudly: "I love Israel."
Audience members at Monday's event raised concerns about the United States's perceived decline in support for Israel and fears that American Jews were becoming too assimilated.
Mr Barzun, who worked on both of President Barack Obama's election campaigns, said that in terms of American support for Israel, "some people say it's not strong enough, but look at Iron Dome. We do a lot."
