How did last week’s effort to turn US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett into BFFs turn out? Are the 78-year-old American president and 49-year-old Israeli premier now bros? Was their first White House meeting Aug. 27 the start of the proverbial beautiful friendship? Will the chemistry between them pave the way for an intimate, trusting relationship totally contrary to relations between the Democrats and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu?

The president, for his part, delivered the goods. He described Bennett to reporters as his friend. According to Israeli press, Biden told Bennett not to hesitate and call him if he needs anything. The two also found matters of mutual interest to talk about, which were not on their formal agenda.

Establishing the tone of relations with Biden was top of the “to-do list” compiled by Bennett’s people in recent months. They could check it off were it not for one question. “The question is what happens now,” a member of Bennett’s entourage told Al-Monitor, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Such a relationship cannot be conjured up out of thin air. It now needs to be directed to the right place and cultivated to ensure the trust between them is strengthened. The two leaders need to know that there is someone on the other side of the ocean who will talk to them candidly, will not try to sell them a bill of goods or try to gain time or go behind their backs.”

Bennett’s staff worked hard for weeks preparing the meeting. Their goal was to turn the page in US-Israel relations marred by the close alliance between Netanyahu and the Republicans, and erase from Biden’s memory his unpleasant eight-year experience as vice president with Netanyahu. The idea was to demonstrate to Biden that Bennett is made of different stuff. Bennett himself emphasized at various points during the 50-minute one-on-one meeting that he would always tell Biden the truth without trying to embellish the facts, that he would be frank about what he can and cannot do, and that he intended to iron out differences that arise with the president and his staff rather than in the media or behind their backs.