The U.S. State Department condemned Rabi Ovadia Yosef’s statements made over the weekend that called on a plague from god to destroy Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian people, saying the remarks are deeply offensive.
The State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley issued a statement, saying that they condemn and regret the inflammatory statements by the Rabbi. The statement noted the Israeli statement issued on Sunday that said that the Rabbi’s comments in no way reflect the views of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
On Sunday, Palestinian Authority officials accused Yosef of calling for the “genocide of the Palestinian people.” The Palestinian Authority’s Chief Negotiator for the direct negotiations for peace with Israel said that Yosef’s comments are “an absolute insult to our efforts to progress the peace process.”
Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu made efforts to separate himself from Yosef, saying that “Israel entered into negotiations out of a desire to progress with the Palestinians toward an agreement that will end the conflict and ensure peace, security, and good neighborly relations between the two nations.”
The State Department said that the remarks, while “deeply offensive,” could heart the cause of peace. Crowley called on everyone on all sides to advance the effort of peace, not hinder it.