Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich released the following statement responding to remarks by Obama Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Belgium Ambassador Howard Gutman blaming Israeli policy for anti-Semitism and the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel by Palestinian terrorists:
“President Obama claims he has done ‘more for the security of the state of Israel than any previous administration.’ Perhaps some of his top officials missed that message.”
Gingrich notes: “Barack Obama must tell the American people today whether he condemns or condones the deeply wrong statements by his Secretary of Defense and Ambassador to Belgium. We have the right to know whether Secretary Panetta’s harsh criticism of Israel is merely his own personal opinion, or a reflection of the policy of his Commander in Chief.
“I have already called for the President to fire Ambassador Gutman due to his repugnant statements. On Monday, the Administration defended Gutman’s remarks. So I also call on President Obama to answer today whether Gutman speaks for himself, or, as the United States’ top official in Belgium, Gutman is speaking on behalf of the White House.
“The American people deserve to know today: Is it now permissible for American officials to flout official US policy publicly, or do Panetta and Gutman speak for the entire Administration?”
Background:
On Friday, December 2nd, in remarks at the Brookings Institution’s Saban Forum in Washington, Obama’s Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta blamed Israel for the current impasse in the peace process.
Despite fierce anti-Israel posturing by Turkey and outright violence against Israeli citizens in Cairo, Panetta said it was incumbent upon Israel to “reach out and mend fences” with its hostile neighbors.
And although the Palestinian leadership continues to stonewall the peace process by refusing to negotiate with Israel and pursuing statehood unilaterally at the United Nations, Panetta badgered Israel to “just get to the damn table. Just get to the table.”
This came just days after Howard Gutman, the US Ambassador to Belgium, told an audience that Israel is responsible for Muslim anti-Semitism throughout the world today.
On Saturday, December 3rd, Newt called for the President to fire Gutman for being so wrong about anti-Semitism.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
7 Responses
Concerned about what Gingrich is setting up here. In his presidency would it be possible and ok for his secretary of defense and ambassadors to publicly say anti-Israel remarks if it were just their own opinions? Just trying to be careful, I may vote for him, but want to be sure he is real on Israel.
“He’s done more for the State of Israel than any other administration”. I’ve been saying for years, with friends like him, who needs enemies??
#1 Just the other way around. Gingrich is rightfully implying that in an administration EVERYONE must publicly comment AS ONE VOICE.
While it appears on the surface that he is really concerned for our welfare, of course the opposite is true. Frankly I object to his use of Israel is an opinion lightening rod for self promotion and self interest. By putting this conflict into the media he will (has veshalom) incite already festering anti-Semitism in the US. Gee, aren’t there lots of other issues?! “It the economy dummy” that’s what the US people really care about. Neither candidate really cares about Israel beyond next years vote. If you were thinking that he is the answer to Obama – think again. The choice in galut is between bad and worse. Let’s keep davening to Hashem with as much kavanah as we can, He is the One that will take care of us.
Pandering…and the supposed anti-Israel remarks would have passed as ordinary poitical discourse in Israel itself.
There is a gingoism in our community that is simply not healthy…criticize any policy of Israel vis a vis the Arabs…and you instantly are labeled an antisemite.
There is a 50 year old folk song commenting on such dangerous thinking in this country during the McCarthy era…a verse goes like this:
“…What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine? I learned our country is never wrong, I learned our leaders are always strong, that’s what I learned in school today, dear old father of mine.”
I bet half of you, chas v’ shalom, would label the Neviim as antisemites for their criticism of the then establishment.
There is good reason to believe that most secular/liberal Jews, who are the majority of Jewish votes (nationally) as well as the majority of Jews who make campaign contributions, agree with Howard Gutman, who is, after all a secular liberal person of Jewish descent. Obama firms up his (i.e.Obama’s) Jewish base by supporting Gutman.
Obama won’t say anything because he AGREES with the comment!