Kerry slams Israeli Defense Minister Ya'alon's Obama remarks

In response to harsh US criticism of Ya'alon over comments he made about Obama, sources close to the defense minister say that some in the US have "marked" him for being a bothersome element in the peace talks.

US Secretary of State John Kerry called Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday morning to "protest" Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon's criticism of US President Barack Obama, stopping short of calling for the minister's resignation, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. "Clearly his comments were not constructive," Psaki told reporters. "It is certainly confusing to us."

Psaki added that Kerry does not believe Ya'alon's comments "reflect the view of the government of Israel."

Sources close to Ya'alon responded Wednesday to the harsh US criticism over remarks he made about Obama on Tuesday. Ya'alon's sources claimed there are "some people" in the US that have marked the Defense Minister as a "bothersome element in the peace talks with the Palestinians," Israel Radio reported. The sources said that the Americans who oppose Ya'alon are seeking to deligitimize him because they know that he is a "hard nut to crack," according to the report. The sources added that Ya'alon would continue to forward Israel's security concerns even if people try to tarnish his image. Defense minister Ya'alon will clarify his comments to the Americans in private meetings, a source in his office said. Netanyahu and Ya'alon discussed matter today, the source added. On Tuesday, the United States used unprecedented language to condemn Ya'alon after he continued weeks of criticism of Obama, and members of his foreign policy team, on Tuesday.

“We were shocked by Moshe Ya’alon’s comments, which seriously call into question his commitment to Israel’s relationship with the United States," a senior administration official told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday night. "Moreover, this is part of a disturbing pattern in which the Defense Minister disparages the US Administration, and insults its most senior officials."

Ya'alon said on Tuesday that, in light of developments on crises in the Middle East, relations with China and with Russia over the annexation of Crimea, Obama's "image in the world is feebleness." Ya'alon sensed "disappointment" in the world community, he said at Tel Aviv University.

"Given the unprecedented commitment that this administration has made to Israel’s security, we are mystified why the Defense Minister seems intent on undermining the relationship," the official continued.

The defense minister also implied that US policy on Iran was pushing Israel to plan for war, should talks over its nuclear program fail in Vienna.

"At some stage the United States entered into negotiations with [the Iranians], and unhappily, when it comes to negotiating at a Persian bazaar, the Iranians were better," Ya'alon said.

Ya'alon's criticism of the US administration was extensive: he suggested the White House "come to its senses," or else risk new terrorist threats from around the world.

"Look what's happening in Ukraine, where the United States is demonstrating weakness, unfortunately," he continued.