Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the relationship between the United States and Israel seems to have gone “overboard.”

His remarks came during an interview on Army Radio in Israel on Thursday and were detailed in a report posted by The Times of Israel. And he maintained Washington’s posture has created “serious problems” in presenting a plan to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

“In some ways it seems to go overboard in the way they treat each other,” Panetta said. “It cannot look like the United States is in the pocket of Israel, or Israel for that matter is in the pocket of the United States.

“We’ve always tried to maintain a balanced relationship and because the United States appears to have given up that balanced approach it has created serious problems.”

He also commented on the rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

“There is always a danger that one side or the other miscalculates and it results in a military confrontation,” Panetta said.

“No one wants another Middle East war,” he added.

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