The United States State Department has condemned extreme remarks made by a rabbi in Israel on the cusp of direct peace talks between Israel and Palestine.
Reacting to the offending statements by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who called for Palestinians to "perish from this world", U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said, "We regret and condemn the inflammatory statements by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef."
He added that the U.S. duly noted an official Israeli statement that the Rabbi’s comments did not reflect the views of the Prime Minister.
According to reports the Rabbi was also quoted as alluding to Palestinians as "evil, bitter enemies of Israel", during his speech on Saturday.
Mr. Crowley said, “These remarks are not only deeply offensive, but incitement such as this hurts the cause of peace. As we move forward to re-launch peace negotiations, it is important that actions by people on all sides help to advance our effort, not hinder it."
Earlier this month, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that the U.S. would be hosting talks between the leaders of Palestine and Israel in Washington in September. Prospects for peace ground to a halt in March this year when, even as Vice-President Joe Biden was in the region to facilitate direct talks, Israel’s Interior Ministry announced that permission had been granted for 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem.
At the time, a war of words ensued between Israel and the U.S., with Mr. Biden saying, "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem."
