So much for diplomacy! Diplomat face-palms after Trump implies Israel not in Middle East

The Israeli ambassador to the US was left clutching his head in what appeared to be both amusement and despair during Donald Trump's appearance in Israel on Monday.

Trump was in a bilateral meeting with President Reuven Rivlin of Israel during his ongoing diplomacy tour when he implied that the country was not, in fact in the Middle East.

That left Ambassador Ron Dermer, who was spectating from the sidelines, throwing his hand up to his face - and the whole thing was caught on film.

Trump's meeting had been going well up to that point, with the assembled dignitaries chuckling along to his jokes.

But while enthusing about the "incredible job" performed by new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Trump mentioned that he had just flown from a meeting with the heads of Saudi Arabia.

"We just got back from the Middle East," Trump told the room. "We just got back from Saudi Arabia."

Israel and Saudi Arabia are the US's strongest allies in the Middle East.

They are separated only by the country of Jordan, and the nearest points on their borders are just 90 miles apart.

Dermer's reaction to the gaffe was immediate; he threw his hand up to his face with a smirk.

At that point, some of his ambassadorial poise appears to kick in and he turns the face palm into a sweep of the hair.

He scratches his eyebrow as he composes himself, and then returns his attention to Trump's speech.

On Monday evening he spoke of his hope for peace in the Middle East, and America's role in those meetings.

"We're going to have very productive discussions, in my opinion, with the leaders of other nations," Trump said, referring to Muslim countries.

"And I feel strongly about that, because there's a lot of love out there.

"People from all nations - even nations you would be surprised to hear - they want to stop the killing. They've had enough."