A group of lawmakers and rank-and-file members from Israel's ruling Likud Party met on Saturday to publicly blast US President Barack Obama as an enemy of Israel and the Jews over his heavy-handed pressure to stop building homes for Jews in areas claimed by the Palestinian Arabs.

Organized by Likud MK Dani Danon, the meeting was a follow-up to remarks made last week by Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat, in which she called the Obama administration "terrible" for Israel.

Danon also laid into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for having implemented a partial settlement freeze in line with international demands, but noted that Livnat had correctly identified Obama as the main antagonist.

Yossi Naim, a regional council leader, summed up the feelings of those at the gathering:

"The Obama administration is an enemy of the Jews and the worst regime there ever was for the State of Israel."

Ron Nachman, mayor of the settler town of Ariel, concluded by announcing that he, for one, would not be complying with the government's decision to implement a 10-month freeze on all new building projects in the disputed territories.