Unlike his previous diplomatic postings in Malaysia, China and Pakistan, Casey found direct negotiations with Israeli officials fundamentally different when it came to how the US uses its leverage.

“In Malaysia, if you didn’t cooperate, you could get sanctioned,” he explains. “With Pakistan, we could pull training programs, stop certain aid.”

“But with the Israelis, it’s completely different. They just have to drag out negotiations and we’ll eventually agree to whatever they want.”