The Atlantic
quoted an unidentified administration official who used profanity to
assail Netanyahu and complained about his settlement policies in the
West Bank. The official also questioned the prime minister's commitment
to Middle East peace efforts as well as his resolve to launch a
pre-emptive strike against Iran to thwart its nuclear program.
The
incendiary comments come six days before elections with Democrats
struggling to hold onto their Senate majority and taking steps to boost
voter turnout in typically low-interest midterm contests. The remarks
also come against the backdrop of negotiations involving the United
States and other Western powers to secure a nuclear agreement with Iran.
The
high-profile diplomatic flap, all based on anonymous opinion,
underscored the already tense relationship between Obama and Netanyahu
despite decades of close ties between the United States and its Mideast
ally.At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest insisted Wednesday that the remarks did not reflect the administration's view and were counterproductive.
"The
prime minister and the president have forged an effective partnership,
they consult closely and frequently and did so as recently as this month
right here at the White House in the Oval Office," Earnest said. "That
close relationship does not mean that we paper over our differences. The
fact is the United States has repeatedly made clear our view that
settlement activity is illegitimate, and only serves to complicate
efforts to achieve a two-state solution in the region."
Earnest said there was no effort to determine the identities of the official who made the remark.
National
Security Adviser Susan Rice maintained that the U.S.-Israel
relationship "is not in crisis." Rice was meeting on Thursday with her
Israeli counterpart, Yossi Cohen, and senior delegation of Israeli
officials for the US-Israel Consultative Group Meeting — a biannual
event.
In Jerusalem, Netanyahu
dismissed the comments and insisted he was "not prepared to make
concessions that will endanger our state."
"Our
supreme interests, with security and the unity of Jerusalem first and
foremost, are not among the top concerns of those anonymous elements
that are attacking us and me personally," he said.
On Capitol Hill, Republicans and some Democrats pounced on the anonymous comments and criticized the administration.
"When
the president discusses Israel and Iran, it is sometimes hard to tell
who he thinks is America's friend and who he thinks is America's enemy,"
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said. "Over the last several
months, I have watched the administration insult ally after ally. I am
tired of the administration's apology tour. The president sets the tone
for his administration. He either condones the profanity and disrespect
used by the most senior members of his administration, or he does not.
It is time for him to get his house in order and tell the people that
can't muster professionalism that it is time to move on."
House
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said "responsible presidents
ensure their advisers work through policy differences with our closest
partners respectfully and through the appropriate channels."
Rep.
Eliot Engel of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, called the comments "counterproductive" and "unprofessional."
Rep.
Brad Sherman, D-Calif., called them "outrageous" and added: "Personal
attacks against leaders of allied countries have no place in our foreign
policy."
Said Sen. Mark Kirk,
R-Ill., "Comments like these go right to our fears about the
administration, which is seen as treating our friends like enemies and
our enemies like friends."
___
Associated Press writers Jim Kuhnhenn and Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
No comments:
Post a Comment