Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer to U.S.: Kerry was not trying to pressure Israel

[Spiraling Leopard]

http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=15401

Dermer: Kerry was not trying to pressure Israel

In Time magazine interview, Israeli Ambassador to U.S. Ron Dermer defends U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was widely criticized in Israel last week for saying that Israel may face boycotts if the current peace talks with the Palestinians fail.



Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer told Time magazine that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was not trying to pressure Israel when he recently said that Israel may face boycotts and further delegitimization if the current peace talks with the Palestinians fail.

"I think [Kerry] was making a descriptive statement," Dermer, who took over from Michael Oren at the Israeli Embassy in Washington last year, told Time. "I don't think he was doing it in order to pressure Israel."

Kerry's words prompted widespread criticism in Israel. An Israel Hayom poll among the Israeli Jewish public found that 61% thought Kerry threatened Israel.

A day after Kerry made the comment, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said anti-Israel boycott efforts were "immoral and unjust" and would not achieve their goal.

Last Friday, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman defended Kerry, calling the secretary of state "a true friend of Israel."

In the Time interview, published on Monday, Dermer said, "Secretary Kerry is opposed to the boycotting of Israel, something he made clear again this week. President Obama has also been crystal clear about that."
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Yes, it's time to curse this beast.

[Debbie Shafer]

Now this is a real joke....Kerry is like Jimmy Carter, who was continuously supporting Hamas and wanting Israel to give up more land for peace..which never comes!

[muman613]

John FN Kerry is a major disaster. I am ashamed that there are Israeli Jews who are standing up to defend this monster. I can understand the dirty lefties who ALWAYS work with the enemies of Israel but a representative of America should not be treating Israel like a child. Kerry can exert pressure on the Jewish people but has not asked a single concession from the invading enemies. We all know that the arabs are not native to the land, they are invaders from another land (the word Philistine means invader and they call themselves palestinians). If justice were to be had, all the arab invaders would be shipped out of the country and if they didn't they would be terminated.