I'd put money on it.

What pearl clutching...

Kerry is speaking an obvious truth.

If Israel hijacks the vote in Congress thus killing the deal, it will get the blame. If will deserve the blame.

in fact more so

very accurately said in 2014. It is NOT Kerry's job to be Netanyahu's BFF. The fact is that the US has coddled Israel even as it has done things absolutely against US policy. Sometimes, it is important to have someone speak the truth and on these issues, there are few people better positioned to do so than Secretary Kerry.

Let's look at what he said that apparently angered some Israelis.

His appartheid comment
Several Israeli leaders before him also articulated that IF Israel rules out a real two state solution, they will risk becoming an apartheid state. This is a statement of fact - and although he stepped back on the WORD, he did not step back on the issue.

In addition to Israeli leaders, in Ari Shavit's book, he articulates the possibilities: 1) Ethnic cleansing where Palestinians are forced out - which he obviously immediately points out is beyond unacceptable 2) Israel would continue permanently the current situation -- which he called arpartheid 3) a one state solution where everyone had equal rights - which he rejected because it would mean that long term, Israel would not be a Jewish state or 4) a two state solution.

During and after last summer's Gaza War, the Israeli and American Jewish media had an enormous number of really emotional articles that questioned whether liberal Zionism could exist. The election results have added to that - as have the defiant approval of settlement expansions by Settlers into the West bank. Maybe Dennis Ross, loyal friend of Israel, should be privately and even publicly telling Israel that these things fan the flames against them.

The current comment
Can you seriously tell me that the outrageous comments of Netanyahu have NOT made him less acceptable in almost the entire world? Not to mention, Kerry's comments are mild, non personal and are very likely his honest, well informed opinion. Consider that Kerry speaks to the rest of the world. Kerry personally reached out to Europe to stop them from joining BDS when he started the peace talks. He also personally spoke in defense of Israel in a speech in Geneva. (Note that this was AFTER Netanyahu - because he wanted to continue the Gaza War longer - led an effort to smear Kerry, going so far as calling the Palestinian ceasefire proposal that Kerry passed to Israel after it was passed to him by Quatar , Kerry's plan. (This strange way of passing information - similar to the non PC named childhood game of the 1950s, Chinese telephone - was necessitated by the fact that neither Israel of the US speaks directly with Hamas - even when negotiating with them) Strange that I did not hear Dennis Ross call Netanyahu on this or defend Obama/Kerry. Not to mention, that Obama has continued to have the US veto every resolution against Israel.

George Mitchell and Kerry were both far more even handed than Dennis Ross in terms of dealing with Israel/Palestine

It is well-documented that Hillary Clinton called Netanyahu on the carpet in private conversations. She didn't get into public pi**ing matces with him. When he says these things in public, he changes the game. Either he understands that and is choosing to change the game - ex ante justifying anti-Israel acts, or he just can't hold his tongue when he is challenged. As much as Netanyahu does not understand how he is seen in the US, Kerry does not understand how he is seen in Israel. On the other hand, this makes a lot more difference to Israel than it does to the US.

Unlike HRC, Kerry spent a huge amount of time trying to work to a 2 state solution. That means speaking not just to the Israel, but to the Palestinians. Not to mention, HRC DID have public confrontations with Netanyahu - over settlements - and she supported the two state solution just as Kerry did. (This article mentions HRC doing so - not in private - but on Al Jazerrra - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/23/AR2009052301536.html ) Note that neither were able to move Netanyahu towards a peace settlement. Nor did Mitchell or Dennis Ross himself!

Before you refer to a ****ng contest, why not respond to the fact that Netanyahu has smeared BOTH Obama and Kerry. It is rather weird that you call KERRY out for speaking the truth in the US to an American Jewish audience (where he was well received) by the people who heard the entire speech. Yet, I don't see that you had a problem with Netanyahu being angry that the US was unhappy with the continuation of his "cutting the grass" in Gaza -- and because of that smearing Kerry by very dishonestly presenting Hamas's proposal as his to the entire Knesset!

Not to mention, Kerry's statement then was 100% US policy - a two state solution is needed --- and supposedly Netanyahu's position (unless it was the week before the election and he needed more right wing votes.) Not to mention, Netanyahu's actions - approving settlements etc are at variance with what he then claims - including a few days after the election.

The problem is not equally Kerry and Netanyahu -- it is Netanyahu. Kerry is by far the better man, better diplomat and better statesman. If you look at BOTH these Kerry's comments - they are honest statements. Israel and the US will be blamed if they scuttle the deal - why? because if they scuttle the deal it is a true statement.

He is NOT ex ante or otherwise justifying any anti Israel acts. It is rather pathetic that you are suggesting that saying exactly what Israeli leaders say and a leading Israeli writer says is a problem. Not to mention, like this talk, he was speaking in the US to American Jews. Not say, going to the West Bank and speaking against Netanyahu to some group of Palestinians (an analog as I could get to Netanyahu coming to the US to speak against Obama invited by the Republicans. ) PS did you support that?

As to how Kerry is seen by Israel -- I would suggest that world wide, Secretary of State Kerry is well respected in almost all countries - as is Obama. Netanyahu can not say that. Kerry is a genuine person of integrity, while Netanyahu is a pathological liar who tells the truth only if it is what helps him at that moment.

... 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Israel's two most consistent supporters: the US and the UK.

The US: http://www.dsca.mil/major-arms-sales/israel-joint-direct-attack-munition-tail-kits-and-munitions and http://news.antiwar.com/2015/07/19/us-preparing-unprecedented-new-arms-package-to-israel-for-iran-deal/

The UK: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/government-lifts-remaining-restrictions-on-arms-sales-to-israel-after-yearlong-review-10394143.html

These words do not have a place in a sane sentence.

early 2009.WH records

The United States must lead with diplomacy, she said, and explained the administration’s approach to Iran:
With this in mind, I want to say a few words about Iran.

We watched the energy of Iran’s election with great admiration, only to be appalled by the manner in which the government used violence to quell the voices of the Iranian people, and then tried to hide its actions by arresting foreign journalists and nationals, and expelling them, and cutting off access to technology. As we and our G-8 partners have made clear, these actions are deplorable and unacceptable.

We know very well what we inherited with Iran, because we deal with that inheritance every day. We know that refusing to deal with the Islamic Republic has not succeeded in altering the Iranian march toward a nuclear weapon, reducing Iranian support for terror, or improving Iran’s treatment of its citizens.

Neither the President nor I have any illusions that dialogue with the Islamic Republic will guarantee success of any kind, and the prospects have certainly shifted in the weeks following the election. But we also understand the importance of offering to engage Iran and giving its leaders a clear choice: whether to join the international community as a responsible member or to continue down a path to further isolation.

It deserves to be isolated. I just wish we'd quit funding their war on the palestinian people, it's just wrong.

When I first got into doing this. Financial aide I thought was medical, food, agriculture, etc. I just looked in Wikipedia (I suppose with a grain of salt). U.S. aid to Israel was, in 2012, 3100.1 million dollars. Wow, I thought to myself, we are really helping them make something of them selves. Then I saw a basic breakdown. 25.1 million in financial aid was for, guess what, non military aide, the rest was military aid - 3075 million dollars. The per capita to the Israeli people when considering all the aid was $408.40. So on non military or humanitarian aid it was about $3.28 if I figured it right. Aren't we just the best.