Israeli defence minister apologises to Kerry over diatribe

Google – AFP, 14 January 2014 

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon

 arrives for the weekly cabinet meeting at

the prime minister's Jerusalem office on

 October 20, 2013 (Pool/AFP/File, Abir

Sultan)

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

The White House had described Defence 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 countries, 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's end.

"The defence minister had no intention to cause any offence to the secretary, and he apologises 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.

US Secretary of State John Kerry throws his scarf over his shoulder as he

 arrives at the Le Bourget airport to attend a two-day meeting on Syria, on 

January 12, 2014 (POOL/AFP/File, Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

"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 defence minister of a close ally."

'Put this right'

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 parliament, 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.

Kerry coaxed Israelis and Palestinians back into direct negotiations last summer and has since shuttled tirelessly between the two leaderships in a bid to keep the talks alive.

His proposals include a security plan for the border between a future Palestinian state and neighbouring Jordan, involving high-tech equipment to enable Israel to reduce or end its troop presence on the ground, Israeli media say.

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 programme.

Israel publicly opposed the plan, which will see limited relief for Tehran from Western sanctions in exchange for rolling back parts of its civil nuclear programme, describing it as a "disaster" and a "gift" to its biggest foe.

Israel has also been at loggerheads with its US ally over its drive to expand its settlements in the occupied West Bank, including annexed Arab east Jerusalem, even while the peace talks with the Palestinians that Kerry helped relaunch are under way.

Just last week, Israel unveiled plans to build another 1,800 new settler homes, 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."

Related Article:

"THE BRIDGE OF SWORDS"– Sep  29, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Text version)

“… Let us talk about the swords: When you hear the word sword, the first thing that occurs to you is battle. The Bridge of Swords is a battle and we told you that as well. Swords are metaphoric and they mean many things, so let us describe the things we mean them to say to you.

Number one: They are indeed a weapon in a battle. There is a battle coming. "Kryon, does that mean there's going to be a war?" Potentially, yes. Right now we will tell you that the Middle East cooks itself. You've noticed, haven't you? What do you know about the Middle East, dear one? Let's start examining things for a moment. What energy did you grow up in? What was the energy of the Middle East? In the '40s, what was the energy? With the establishment of the state of Israel, you built a wall of hate, both sides. The wall was so thick that the children of both sides were taught to hate one another as soon as they were able to understand the language. They were told who their enemies were. Now, where were you then?

Some of you weren't here yet. By the time you arrived, in your youth, were you aware of the Middle East? Not particularly. "What's the hatred about?" you might ask. What if I told you it's about a family feud? Two sons of a Jewish master are involved. One founded the Arabs and one remained a Jew. They don't want to hear this, but they are all Jews. (Don't tell them this.)

If you look at the lineage, it's pretty obvious and yet it's a complete and total set-up for either solution or war. The set-up would have this world ending in a conflagration that would have been brought about by this hatred. That's in the prophecy of Nostradamus and your scripture, but it is no longer the prophecy of the planet. Yet the hatred still exists. The hatred is as great today as it was then, but where was all the terrorism 40 years ago? It was isolated.

Those in Israel and Palestine and surrounding areas took the brunt of it, but now it's seemingly everywhere - and you're worried. Why would this be? The answer is that the old energy was happy to have this hatred contained, for it would keep it going and never involve outsiders. Outsiders tend to bring unwanted light to the party. Suddenly, the whole earth is involved and can see the entire scenario before them. The old guard wants war, just like all the eons before them. The ones on the bridge are holding the light and showing the earth how to cross. Even many younger ones in Israel and Palestine and Iran are holding light! It's all around the old guard and they are furious, for they are losing the "battle of hatred." …”