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It was no coincidence that as the report emerged that a senior American had called Benjamin Netanyahu a "chickenshit", the first member of the prime minister's cabinet to leap to his defence was the man often portrayed as his main rival.
If the quotes are true, said Economics Minister Naftali Bennett, the Obama administration was "throwing Israel under the bus". Such slurs are targeted not just at the prime minister, said Mr Bennett. "He is not a private person, but the leader of the state of the Jews and the entire Jewish world."
This was a opportunity for Mr Bennett to ram home his point that Israel stands alone against an antisemitic world. Mr Bennett leads the wing of government calling upon Mr Netanyahu to defy world opinion - particularly that of President Obama - and intensify settlement building.
But there was also a personal side to his support. The leader of Habayit Hayehudi is currently the only party leader in the coalition who is doing better in the polls than he did 21 months ago in the elections. He even predicted that peace talks with the Palestinians would collapse. The only way is up.
Prime Minister Bennett may seem a far-fetched notion right now, but as one source close to him put it, "who else do you see out there capable of meeting the challenge?"
He realises that as much as he tries to change his party and bring in young, secular candidates like protege Ayelet Shaked, to most Israelis it will remain the old National Religious Party, of limited electoral appeal. Many believe his plan is to offer Mr Netanyahu a pact - run together in the next elections, form a large wide-based right-wing party and make me your number two.
The 42-year-old Bennett and his fans can be excused if they see a resemblance between him and Mr Netanyahu. Both men were officers in Israel's special forces; both spent periods working in the US. Both returned to Israel and rapidly rose up the ladder. There is little doubt that Mr Bennett sees himself the young Mr Netanyahu. He even worked for him for a short time as chief of staff, until they fell out.
Now is the time for mending bridges. Relations between the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman seem beyond repair, while Moshe Kachlon and Gidon Saar, likely successors within Likud, have resigned. There is a space on Mr Netanyahu's right hand, and Mr Bennett believes he's a fit. Plus he reckons that Bibi won't be around forever.
