Washington – Kerry Says Reported U.S. Slur Of Israel’s Netanyahu ‘Damaging’

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    U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gestures at the Washington Ideas Forum presented by the Aspen Institute and the Atlantic in Washington October 30, 2014.      REUTERS/Gary Cameron Washington – The description of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “chicken….” by an anonymous U.S. official as quoted in a U.S. magazine this week was disgraceful and damaging, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday.

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    Netanyahu on Wednesday condemned the comment from an unnamed official in The Atlantic, which added to tensions between his government and the Obama administration, particularly over settlement building in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem.

    “We condemn anybody who uses language such as was used in this article,” Kerry told an audience at the annual Washington Ideas Forum in his first comment on the issue. “It does not reflect the president, it does not reflect me, it is disgraceful, unacceptable, damaging.”

    The expression “chickenshit” is used to mean a worthless coward.

    “I have never heard that word around me in the White House. I don’t know who these anonymous people are who keep getting quoted, but they make life much more difficult,” Kerry added.

    Kerry tried to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians last year, launching fresh talks after a three-year deadlock. The talks collapsed in April this year.

    “The thing about Bibi is, he’s a chicken….,” the unidentified official was quoted as saying in The Atlantic.

    “The good thing about Netanyahu is that he’s scared to launch wars,” the official said, alluding to past hints of possible Israeli military action against Iran’s nuclear program. “The bad thing about him is that he won’t do anything to reach an accommodation with the Palestinians or with the Sunni Arab states.”

    Netanyahu addressed the reported name-calling directly during remarks in parliament saying his main focus was the security and unity of Jerusalem.

    “Our supreme interests, chiefly the security and unity of Jerusalem, are not the main concern of those anonymous officials who attack us and me personally, as the assault on me comes only because I defend the State of Israel,” he said.

    Kerry said the only way to resolve tensions between Israelis and Palestinians was to bring the sides together to negotiate a peaceful settlement. “We still believe it is doable, but it takes courage and strength,” he said, “both sides have to be prepared to compromise in order to do it.”


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    13 Comments
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    mendoza
    mendoza
    9 years ago

    so what else is new
    asov sonah yaakov
    and rashi says
    veh yudoah halchik huoo

    Butterfly
    Butterfly
    9 years ago

    I doubt very much if the anonymous writer has ever served in any armed services of any country. If anything he is the “chicken” since he is hiding behind “anonymous” name. If he is courageous enough, let him print a retraction!!

    9 years ago

    wait until your Boss will be a “lame duck” in November

    Buchwalter
    Buchwalter
    9 years ago

    One of Nixon’s adviser said “f” the Jews they never vote for us anyhow, Reagan despite of a plea by Mr. Wiesel visited SS cemetery Bittorf, and Cap Weinberg was a sone Yisroel. Fortunately esev sone l’yaakov is not always true. Block 66 in Buchenwald composed mostly of young Jewish teenagers was saved by political prisoners in Buchenwald, Germans, Czech, and Russians all goyim and I was one of them. There are plenty anti-Semites democrats and republicans

    9 years ago

    This leak came from the person who want to sleep on Benghazi

    BogusMilsky
    BogusMilsky
    9 years ago

    The President should just come out and say what is on his mind what he thinks and instead hiding of using his personal retards to speak for him

    He should just admit to the truth nobody cares about anything anymore, the constitution trampled under the Obama administration of the USA has become void

    He should admit:

    admit that he does not believe in the freedom of speech
    admit he does not believe in freedom of press
    admit that he does not believe in the freedom of religion
    admit that he does not believe in the freedom and pursuit of happiness
    admit he is a muslim
    admit he hates Israel
    admit he was born in Kenya not the USA

    With all of the bombed out buildings and closed businesses on Omar Muhktar Street in Gaza They should change the name of the street to Barak Obama Blvd

    9 years ago

    Notice how Baal Kerry’s defense is that the vocabulary used is not connected to him or the White House. The issue is not the choice of words. The issue is that the foreign policy emanating from the White House, is clearly anti-Israel and pro-terror. If he had a spine, he would openly state that no country in world history has ever conceded as much as Israel, and that it is immoral to demand any further concessions. That burden of concession to make peace is borne by the Muslim world that must denounce in words, policy/charters, and actions the mission to eradicate Jews and Israel. Then we can address whether the Muslims have the civility to have a state. Until Kerry makes that point, all efforts to discuss anything are futile.

    9 years ago

    To #4 - You were 100% correct; the aide who stated “(expletive deleted) the Jews, they didn’t vote for us anyway”, stated it not once, but twice. It was James Baker, former Secretary of State. Former Mayor Ed Koch witnessed one of Baker’s profane outbursts. To this date, the Republican Jewish Coalition has never condemned Baker for those comments, nor have the Republican leadership ever apologized for them. Bush #4 1 used the same term, which was used for Netanyahu, when referring to a former Jewish Senator from Minnesota. Speaker Boehner used that obscene term, when he referred to Obama in 2008.

    Shimon
    Shimon
    9 years ago

    Actually, words don’t amount to much. It’s actions and policies.
    Privately, both Truman and Nixon made horrible anti-semitic comments, but when Israel needed them, they were there.
    Unfortunately, in the despicable Obama administration, the rhetoric and policies match perfectly.