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posted by martyb on Saturday November 07 2015, @06:12PM   Printer-friendly
from the if-you-don't-have-something-nice-to-say... dept.

The BBC reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will "review" the appointment of his new communications director, Ran Baratz, over comments Baratz made on Facebook accusing President Obama of anti-Semitism and describing US Secretary of State John Kerry as having a "mental age" of no more than 12. Netanyahu has described the comments as totally unacceptable while US state department spokesman John Kirby said Mr Baratz's Facebook posts were "troubling and offensive". "Insults, certainly, aimed at individuals doesn't do anything to help advance and deepen the relationship. ... We learn in kindergarten about name-calling, and it's simply not a polite thing to do, ' Kirby said.

The Facebook posts emerged shortly after Netanyahu announced the appointment of philosophy lecturer Mr Baratz as his chief spokesman. In March, Baratz described President Obama's criticism of Netanyahu's opposition to the Iran nuclear deal as "the modern face of anti-Semitism in Western and liberal countries".

Netanyahu quickly distanced himself from the comments but indicated the appointment remained valid. "I have just read Dr Ran Baratz's posts on the internet, including those relating to the president of the state of Israel, the president of the United States and other public figures in Israel and the United States," Netanyahu said in a statement. "Those posts are totally unacceptable and in no way reflect my positions or the policies of the government of Israel. Dr Baratz has apologized and has asked to meet me to clarify the matter following my return to Israel."

Baratz, in a Facebook post Thursday night, apologized for "the hurtful remarks" and for not informing the prime minister of them. Baratz said the posts "were written frivolously and sometimes humorously, in a tone suited to the social networks and a private individual." Baratz added, "It is very clear to me that in an official post one has to behave and express oneself differently."


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  • (Score: 3, Funny) by bradley13 on Saturday November 07 2015, @07:06PM

    by bradley13 (3053) on Saturday November 07 2015, @07:06PM (#260062) Homepage Journal

    Wow, he thinks that 'Lurch' (think Addams Family) has a mental age of 12? I wouldn't have been that generous.

    Kerry is a useful idiot. Look at his recent, um, discussions with Russia. He's useless, the administration doesn't even bother to inform him of what they're planning. He shows up, puts his foot firmly in his mouth, the world snickers, life goes on. Of course, this just shows how utterly incompetent the whole US foreign policy is. Obama & co. are visibly grasping at straws, like kids trying to look like they know what they're doing. Hand weapons to this terrorist group, no that one, no the one over there. Hey, run a carrier group through Chinese waters, because it's so important to the US that the Chinese are extending their coast line by dumping sand, just like countless other countries have done.

    Mr. Kirby from the US said: " "We obviously expect government officials from any country, especially our closest allies, to speak respectfully and truthfully about senior US government officials.""

    Hey, the guy got it half right. It may not have respectful, but it was certainly true...

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  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday November 07 2015, @07:27PM

    by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Saturday November 07 2015, @07:27PM (#260070) Homepage

    That is exactly the reason why I slam Israelites. Because with the exception of one single non-practicing crypto-Jew, every Jewish person I've met in my entire life has behaved that way. Arrogant, condescending, penny-pinching, showing contempt for the Goyim, generally prickly people who are unpleasant to be around. Turks and Arab scum are the same way.

    Even back around 2009, which was my golden age of trolling on Slashdot, I was a pro-Israel liberal Democrat. I had just voted for Barack Obama and believed in multiculturalism and that Israel was America's greatest ally. Funny how that thing called "real-life" can change that.

    • (Score: -1, Redundant) by BigotDetectorGoesBing! on Saturday November 07 2015, @08:13PM

      by BigotDetectorGoesBing! (5877) on Saturday November 07 2015, @08:13PM (#260088)

      Bing!

      • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 07 2015, @09:07PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 07 2015, @09:07PM (#260115)

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    • (Score: 2) by RamiK on Saturday November 07 2015, @09:51PM

      by RamiK (1813) on Saturday November 07 2015, @09:51PM (#260119)

      I think you'd enjoy Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad.

      Well, I'd surely enjoy reading your impressions of it :D

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    • (Score: 2) by TheB on Sunday November 08 2015, @02:51PM

      by TheB (1538) on Sunday November 08 2015, @02:51PM (#260357)

      I'm sorry you have had such bad luck.

      The majority of the Jewish people I've met have been friendly and pleasant. However some of the worst people I've ever met happen to be Jews from Boston. In fact I've never met someone claiming to be from Boston that wasn't a psychopathic lying bastard. I think the only responsible thing to do is round up all Bostonian and put them in camps to protect the rest of our country.

      ... maybe not everyone from Boston is as bad as the small sample that I have met. It's possible that I have met many Bostonian and didn't realize where they were from. The only thing I know for sure is there are some seriously evil people living in Boston who are willing to completely ruin your life just to slightly improve their own.

  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 07 2015, @08:11PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 07 2015, @08:11PM (#260086)

    What a narcissist you must be to think anybody gives enough of a damn about your off-topic rant about Kerry and Obama to make it worth the effort of posting. You've said exactly zero about the story and exactly zero about Kerry or Obama, all you've done is reveal how shallow you are.

    This story is about how even people at the top of world governments can and will use facebook to insert their feet in their mouths. A guy being appointed to the position of "director of communications" is someone who really ought to know how to keep his mouth shut.

    • (Score: 2) by physicsmajor on Saturday November 07 2015, @09:23PM

      by physicsmajor (1471) on Saturday November 07 2015, @09:23PM (#260116)

      Odd, I would have thought someone in charge of communications should be specialized in rather the opposite of keeping their mouth shut.

      In seriousness, while I don't agree with everything in the GP post I do believe it's entirely appropriate to discuss both Kerry and Obama in light of the comments made. That is not off topic, it's very on topic. For example, a discussion about educational standards in Israel vs. the USA may show that an average 12 year old in Israel is about equivalent or superior to Kerry. One could compare vocabulary of public statements, etc. and actually get somewhere with this. In which case the comment becomes accurate, if disparaging, and that's rather relevant.

      In summary, don't silence discourse with a knee-jerk response.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 08 2015, @01:42AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 08 2015, @01:42AM (#260196)

        > For example, a discussion about educational standards in Israel vs. the USA may show that an average 12 year old in Israel is about equivalent or superior to Kerry.

        lolwut? Just because TFA has the word "kerry" in it doesn't make any rando thing about kerry that you can think of on topic. Otherwise I could say all kinds of bullshit about you because your name was on the post you just made.

        > In summary, don't silence discourse with a knee-jerk response.

        Don't pollute discourse with a knee-jerk response.

  • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 07 2015, @08:43PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 07 2015, @08:43PM (#260112)

    Move to Israel you love so much.