Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Former Israeli Envoy to US: Replace Obama


President Obama should be replaced, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Dan Gillerman told a women’s Zionist conference.

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
First Publish: 1/25/2012, 3:22 PM

Dan Gillerman
Dan Gillerman
Isrel news photo: Flash 90
President Obama should be replaced, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Dan Gillerman told a women’s Zionist conference.

In a 180-degree turn from the usually complimentary, if not patronizing, views of diplomats serving terms in foreign countries, Gillerman told the annual Women's International Zionist Organization (WIZO) conference in Tel Aviv Tuesday night that President Obama’s “weakness” has left Israel with having “to keep apologizing for itself all the time.”

"We shouldn't have to be on the defensive," added Gillerman, who served as ambassador from 2003 to 2008. He once referred to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter as a bigot for his meeting in Syria with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal.

Concerning the president’s bid for re-election this November, Gillerman said that the changes in regimes in the Middle East make it more imperative for a change in favor of what he said is the need for a stronger president.

The new Middle East to which Gillerman referred has catapulted blatant anti-Israeli and anti-American Muslim parties into the political spotlight, particularly in Egypt.

President Obama used his annual State of the Union speech to defend his foreign policies and claiming credit for the apparent demise of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad and uniting most of the world against Iran.

Israel is a “key for securing Jewish support in November,” according to the Politico website, which noted that President Obama added “iron-clad to his prepared version of the speech in which he spoke of his “commitment to Israel’s security.”