Ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington next week, the Obama administration privately and publicly has conceded that a lasting peace in the Mideast isn’t possible before he leaves office in 2017.
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The US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed Baratz’s past remarks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the State Department said on Thursday.
Baratz posted the remarks about Obama on Facebook a few hours after Netanyahu addressed the U.S. Congress on March 3.
In an editorial by the current English-language editor at Mida, Avi Woolf, on Thursday for the Times of Israel, Woolf defended Baratz, writing that although Baratz did issue harsh criticisms, “everyone, in the US and elsewhere, does so-both in an official capacity and otherwise”.
“Baratz made clear to the prime minister that the public role requires he conduct himself in a statesman-like and reserved manner, which he was not obligated to do as a private person on Facebook”.
Obama had reportedly agreed in principle with Netanyahu in a previous meeting to increase the aid package to between $4.2 billion and $4.5 billion.
Netanyahu’s choice of Ran Baratz was pounced on by Israeli news media and the political opposition, which quickly combed through his social media posts and past articles to find a string of provocative opinions that were anything but diplomatic.
Baratz’s appointment is still awaiting cabinet approval.
Netanyahu wrote on Twitter that Baratz’s posts “are totally unacceptable and in no way reflect my positions or the policies of Israel”.
As head of public diplomacy and media, Mr Baratz, a 42-year-old philosophy lecturer, will be tasked with improving Israel’s reputation in the world.
A few of his Facebook comments are criticising U.S. President Barack Obama.
In a 2004 column, Baratz, who lives in a West Bank settlement, voiced support for Jewish extremists pushing for a greater Jewish presence at a Jerusalem holy site.
Following the backlash over his appointment, Baratz apologized for his comments about the officials on Facebook, calling them “hurtful” but written “sometimes jokingly”. Since then, there has been a surge in violence between Palestinians and Israelis. “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.
“Insults, certainly, aimed at individuals doesn’t do anything to help advance and deepen the relationship”.
The controversy becomes just days before Netanyahu travels to the United States where it is believed the prime minister will attempt to make amends after relations with Democratic US politicians grew testy over the Iran deal. “This man, with his words dripping with poison, his mouth is our mouth now”, satirist Mika Almog wrote in the Yediot Ahronoth daily.
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Less than a month after the deal was reached, Obama offered a counter to Netanyahu’s concerns.
