A senior Israeli minister has urged his countrymen not to “fear” the new US president, in remarks that highlighted the gulf between Israeli and world perceptions of Barack Obama.

Mr Obama’s inauguration has been met with huge enthusiasm in the US and around the globe, not least because of the discontent with George W. Bush, his predecessor. In Israel, however, the new president’s arrival has sparked concern his administration may prove less supportive than the staunchly pro-Israel Mr Bush.