Kerry protests remarks by Israeli defense chief -spokeswoman

[Yzd Khalifa]

Kerry protests remarks by Israeli defense chief -spokeswoman

Credit: Reuters/Yuri Gripas
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks about Ukraine during a town hall at the State Department in Washington March 18, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Yuri Gripas

(Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to protest remarks by Israel's defense minister that portrayed the United States as weak in its handling of nuclear talks with Iran and other world affairs, a State Department spokeswoman said.

Speaking during a lecture at Tel Aviv University on Monday, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said Israelcould not rely on its main ally to take the lead in confronting Iran over its nuclear program. He also pointed to Ukraine's crisis as an example of Washington "showing weakness.

It is the second time this year that Washington has taken issue with tough public criticism from Yaalon, a former armed forces chief and a hawkish member of Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party.

In January, he described Kerry's quest for Israeli-Palestinian peace as messianic and obsessive.

"Secretary Kerry spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu this morning and he protested to him his concerns about these comments," spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a daily briefing.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu himself has said that the breadth of our security cooperation is unprecedented," Psaki said.

"So it is certainly confusing to us why Defense Minister Yaalon would continue his pattern of making comments that don't accurately represent the scope of our close partnership on a range of security issues and on the enduring partnership between the United States andIsrael."

White House spokesman Jay Carney also rejected Yaalon's comments as "clearly not constructive" and insisted that the United States "maintains an unshakeable commitment to Israel's security."

Netanyahu has denounced as a "historic mistake" an interim deal between Iran and six world powers, including the United States, on curbing sensitive nuclear activities in return for limited sanctions relief.

In Yaalon's latest comments, which were reported by Haaretz daily on Tuesday and confirmed by an Israeli official who as present at the lecture, Yaalon displayed deep disappointment with U.S. President Barack Obama's handling of global issues.

The United States is seeking to broker a peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians, with efforts intensifying in recent weeks to secure agreement on a framework for talks by the end of April.

Kerry has said mistrust between the sides has never been higher and urged both sides to take political risks to get the deal done.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

Kerry protests remarks by Israeli defense chief -spokeswoman| Reuters

 

[Falcon29]

If Americans don't invade Israel's enemies for them and don't shed their American blood for Israel we are accused of being weak by Israel. The Israeli people sure are a thankful bunch, they should just cut ties with the United States so we can keep our weapons here at home to use for our military. We'll see how Israel will fair without that...if it wasn't for the Jewish and evangelical 'representatives' in our Congress we would never be supporting a pariah state.

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

Furious Kerry calls Netanyahu to complain about Israeli defense minister's remarks

US Secretary of State John Kerry.( AFP Photo / Jewel Samad )

US Secretary of State John Kerry took offense to critical comments made by Israel’s defense minister, calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to vent his anger.

According to State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, Kerry “protested” the remarks by Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, who criticized the United States for projecting a feeble image throughout its foreign policy agenda, from the negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program to the escalating tensions in Ukraine.

Psaki said Yaalon’s comments were “not constructive,”adding that Kerry told Netanyahu they were not consistent with America’s “unshakeable commitment” to Israel.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu himself has said that the breadth of our security cooperation is unprecedented,"Psaki said, according to the Associated Press. "So, it is certainly confusing to us why Defense Minister Yaalon would continue his pattern of making comments that don't accurately represent the scope of our close partnership on a range of security issues and on the enduring partnership between the United States and Israel.”

For its part, Yaalon’s office later released a statement to AFP saying the defense minister did not intend to criticize or offend the United States with his remarks.

Speaking to Tel Aviv University on Tuesday, Yaalon said the United States would face negative consequences if it projects a weak image on the world stage.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.( AFP Photo / Menahem Kahana )



"If you sit and wait at home, terrorism will come again,"he said, according to Haaretz Daily. "If your image is feebleness, it doesn't pay in the world...I hope the United States comes to its senses. If it doesn't, it will challenge the world order and the United States is the one that will suffer."

"We had thought the ones who should lead the [military] campaign against Iran is the United States...But at some stage, the United States entered into negotiations with them, and unhappily, when it comes to negotiating at a Persian bazaar, the Iranians were better," he added.

Last year, the US and five other world powers agreed on an interim deal with Iran that would lift some sanctions in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear program – a deal that's been blasted by Netanyahu as a "historic mistake."

Yaalon's recent comments mark the second time this year that he's been critical of US policy. Back in January, he panned America's emphasis on restarting stalled peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, saying Kerry“operates based upon an unfathomable obsession and a messianic feeling." He added that "the only thing that can save us is if Kerry wins the Nobel Prize and leaves us alone.”

 

[Falcon29]

@Yzd Khalifa

Do you have any comments to make or do you just want us to read up on this?