Baratz generated anger at home for a Facebook post about Israel’s largely ceremonial but much-admired president, Reuven Rivlin.
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Ran Baratz, a philosophy lecturer who was appointed as Netanyahu’s chief spokesman, accused Obama of anti-Semitism and described U.S. Secretary of State Jon Kerry as someone “whose mental age doesn’t exceed 12”.
Baratz recently said on his Facebook page that Obama’s response to the Netanyahu speech in Congress this year was an example of “modern anti-Semitism in liberal Western states”.
Malley made the disclosure during a conference call with reporters ahead of next week’s visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“His comments were inappropriate and they do not reflect my position or the government’s policy”, Netanyahu said, adding that while he had not chose to overturn the appointment, he would review the appointment upon his return from Washington next week. Netanyahu explained that “Ran Baratz apologized and requested to clarify his comments in a meeting which will take place when I return from DC”.
“His comments about USA officials, including the president and Secretary Kerry, we believe were troubling and offensive”, Kirby said.
But there is also the possibility of greater military cooperation between the USA and Israel to bolster Israel’s defense. The two leaders can have different views but that doesn’t lessen Obama’s commitment to Israeli security, he said.
Baratz, in a Facebook post Thursday night, apologized for “the hurtful remarks”.
Baratz, who lives in a West Bank settlement, also expressed support in 2004 for the construction of a third Jewish temple on what is now the Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, where two destroyed biblical temples once stood. “Netanyahu and Obama have met dozens of times already, but this meeting is the most important one of all”.
Baratz says his comments posted on Facebook were “written without thinking and sometimes as jokes in language which is appropriate for social networks and for a private person”.
On Thursday, Netanyahu said that Baratz had voiced remorse for the posts and asked to iron out the situation with the prime minister. She pledges her friendship to the State of Israel, not unusual for an American, who wants to be president and is on the hunt for Jewish votes. “The challenges that face us are many and include expanding public diplomacy activity in the new media in the global arena, as well as providing Israeli citizens with more effective access to the work of the Prime Minister and the government”.
US-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians collapsed one month later. They said that the Prime Minister’s words to the group will be the true indicator of his willingness to foster better ties with the American left. “This man, with his words dripping with poison, his mouth is our mouth now”, satirist Mika Almog wrote in the Yediot Ahronoth daily. While Netanyahu distanced himself from the comments, he indicated the appointment is still valid, however.
Baratz’s appointment still has to be approved by the cabinet.
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“The president has reached the conclusion that, barring a major shift, the parties are not going to be in the position to negotiate a final status agreement”, said Rob Malley, Mr Obama’s senior Middle East adviser.
