Escalating Tension with US, Yaalon to Kerry: I Apologize

Local Editor

"Israel's" War Minister, Moshe Yaalon, apologized Tuesday to US Secretary of State John Kerry after he accused the American of having an "obsession" with Middle East talks, sparking a furious diplomatic row between the two allies.

The White House had described War Minister Moshe Yaalon's initial comments as "offensive," in a mark of the degree of outrage in Washington at the latest public spat between the two allies, which follows a major row over Iran policy.

However, in a statement, a contrite Yaalon said: ""Israel" and the United States share a common goal to advance the "peace" talks between "Israel" and the Palestinians led by Secretary Kerry."
"We appreciate Secretary Kerry's many efforts towards that end," he said.
In his apology, Yaalon said: "the defense minister had no intention to cause any offense to the secretary, and he apologizes if the secretary was offended by words attributed to the minister."

In private conversations with "Israeli" and American officials, revealed by the top-selling "Israeli" newspaper, Yediot Aharonot, Yaalon was quoted as expressing the hope that Kerry, who has made 10 trips to "Israel" since March, would end his peace push and focus his energies elsewhere.
"The American plan for security arrangements that was shown to us isn't worth the paper it was written on," Yaalon was quoted as saying, accusing Kerry of being naive.
"Secretary of State John Kerry -- who arrived here determined, and who operates from an incomprehensible obsession and a sense of messianism -- can't teach me anything about the conflict with the Palestinians," Yaalon reportedly said.
In parallel, he added: "The only thing that might save us is if John Kerry wins the Nobel Prize and leaves us be."

His comments provoked fury in Washington causing fresh tension between the governments of President Barack Obama and of Netanyahu.
US President Barack Obama's spokesman Jay Carney said Yaalon's remarks "if accurate, are offensive and inappropriate, especially in the light of everything Secretary Kerry is doing to support "Israel's" security needs."
"Secretary Kerry and his team have been working nonstop in their efforts to promote a secure peace for Israel because of the deep concern the United States has and the deep commitment the United States has for and to Israel's future and the Israeli people," Carney said.

"To question Secretary Kerry's motives and distort his proposals is not something we would expect from the defense minister of a close ally."
A State Department official called on Netanyahu to publicly disavow his minister's comments.
"We expect the prime minister to put this right by expressing publicly his disagreement with the statements against Secretary Kerry," the official told AFP.

Speaking earlier in the "Israeli" knesset, Netanyahu had chided Yaalon for the personal nature of his criticism of Kerry, although he did not take issue with his comments about US policy.
"Even when we have disagreements with the United States, it is about the matter at hand and not about the person," Netanyahu said.
Yaalon's remarks came on the back of a US-"Israeli" spat over a landmark deal Washington and other world powers reached with Iran in November on its controversial nuclear program.

Just last week, "Israel" unveiled plans to build another 1,800 new settler units, hot on the heels of Kerry's latest visit.
A senior US official on Tuesday reiterated Washington's opposition to settlement building, which it has called "illegitimate."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team