Israeli officials are remaining silent over reports that French President Nicolas Sarkozy called Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “liar” during a private conversation with American President Barack Obama.

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The conversation was overheard by a number of journalists during the recent G20 summit in the French Riviera resort of Cannes.

Sarkozy was heard saying to Obama in French “I can’t see him anymore, he’s a liar,” to which Obama replied, “You may be sick of him, but me, I have to deal with him every day,” which was translated into English.

The journalists were asked not to report the conversation, but it has appeared on the websites of most major Israeli dailies although not by Israel Hayom which is considered close to Netanyahu.

Obama is also said to have chastised Sarkozy for not having informed the United States of France's plans to vote in favour of Palestinian membership in UN cultural agency UNESCO.

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