Sniping at Israel’s head of state, Baratz commented on Facebook final week about pictures displaying President Reuven Rivlin – whose publish is essentially ceremonial – sitting in financial system class on a flight again from an official go to to the Czech Republic.
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Baratz, who was supposed to accompany Netanyahu to Washington on Sunday, will no longer travel with the prime minster after he described President Barack Obama’s behavior earlier this year as anti-Semitic and once referred to Secretary of State John Kerry as someone “whose mental age doesn’t exceed 12”.
In a Facebook entry last March, Baratz said Obama’s response to a speech by Netanyahu to the US Congress, “was what modern antisemitism looks like in western and liberal countries”. “We clearly anticipate authorities officers from any nation, particularly our closest allies, to talk respectfully and honestly about senior D.J. authorities officers”, State Department spokesman John Kirby stated.
The U.S. State Department said Netanyahu would review the appointment after the discovery of the spokesman’s online posts attacking President Obama, but Friday Netanyahu made it clear he won’t do that.
The prime minister’s office said via a Facebook post that Netanyahu was unaware of Baratz’s comments before appointing him and believes that they are “unworthy expressions”, according to the New York Times.
“I didn’t say reconsider the appointment of Dr. [R]en Baratz, but deal with my return to the country”, Netanyahu said in a tweet translated from Hebrew.
Correcting the State Department, Prime Minister Netanyahu tweeted in Hebrew that he never said he would reconsider the appointment of Ran Baratz as his spokesperson.
In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the apology was “warranted” but stopped short of opposing the appointment.
The continuing expansion of West Bank settlements as well as the absence of any ongoing peace talks have also contributed to a deterioration of the situation.
Clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians at the compound in September preceded a recent wave of deadly violence that has provoked fears of a full-scale Palestinian uprising.
Israel’s commitment to democracy must be maintained and affirmed, and the Prime Minister should work to block legislative proposals that restrict free speech and political expression.
Netanyahu’s visit will mark the first time the two men have men since the U.S. struck a deal with Iran over their nuclear programme – a deal angrily opposed by Netanyahu. “I asked the prime minister for an opportunity to clarify things in the coming days”. He is not accompanying Netanyahu to Washington.
Baratz, in a Facebook post Thursday night, apologized for “the hurtful remarks”. “These postings were written hastily and sometimes humorously, in a manner appropriate for a private person writing on the Internet”, Baratz said.
Administration officials said in a conference call on Thursday that Obama will likely press Netanyahu to sustain efforts that could someday allow Israel and the Palestinians to co-exist in a two-state situation. Two Cabinet ministers urged him to reconsider.
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Besides meeting with Obama, Netanyahu will also address the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America, and the conservative American Enterprise Institute.
