The deepest public dispute between Israel and the US in years will not shake the "unbreakable bond" between Washington and Israelis, the White House said Tuesday.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that US ties with Israel were an example of the fact that mature diplomatic relationships could survive despite differences, like the current row over settlements.

"It does not break the unbreakable bond that we have with the Israeli government and the Israeli people on their security," Gibbs said. 

-AFP/NOW Lebanon