Israel’s defence minister Moshe Ya’alon has issued a formal apology to the United States, after he branded Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts in the peace process “inexplicably obsessive” and “messianic”.
On Tuesday, Mr Ya’alon had been quoted in Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper criticising Mr Kerry’s peace proposal, saying it was “not worth the paper it is printed on”.
He added: “The only thing that might save us is if John Kerry wins the Nobel Prize and leaves us be.”
But following rebukes from Washington, as well as ministers in his own country - including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Mr Ya’alon was forced to issue a public statement of apology.
