Israel deserves better treatment than it has received from United States President Barack Obama, presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said, speaking to Yisrael Hayom.

Romney told the daily paper that he, unlike Obama, would not make disputes with Israel’s leaders a public affair. “I cannot imagine going to the United Nations, as Obama did, and criticizing Israel in front of the world,” he said. “You don’t criticize your allies in public to achieve the applause of your foes.”

If he were to disagree with Israel, differences would be discussed “in private conversations, not public forums,” he added.

Romney’s criticism echoes that of the Emergency Committee for Israel, which published an ad Thursday slamming Obama’s policy toward Israel as “hostile, ineffective, and at odds with the promises he made in 2008.”

Recent polls show Obama leading Romney by 49 to 43 percent.  However, a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll shows voters think Romney is better able to handle the economy.

As the economy continues to struggle, financial issues could be the deciding factor in the elections. Obama and Romney recently traded attacks over taxation, outsourcing, and related issues.