Advertisement

  1. National

Theresa May criticises Obama administration's Israeli stance

Prime Minister Theresa May has distanced herself from US President Barack Obama's stance on Israel and condemned the attack by his secretary of state on the Israeli government.

Downing Street said it was "not appropriate" for John Kerry to brand Benjamin Netanyahu's administration as the "most right wing in history", which saw him accused of bias by the Israeli prime minister.

Kerry made the claim while accusing Netanyahu's government of undermining attempts at a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians by building settlements in the West Bank.

View all 24 updates ›

Israel critical of 'biased' and 'obsessive' Kerry speech

Benjamin Netanyahu (r) was critical of John Kerry's (l) speech Credit: Reuters

John Kerry's speech on settlement in Israel was "skewed" and "obsessive," the Middle Eastern country's Prime Minister claims.

Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the speech, made on Wednesday in Washington, as "biased" against Israel.

The Israeli PM said Secretary of State Kerry's speech - which justified US opposition to further settlement building in the region - ignored the root of the conflict.

Netanyahu cited the root as being Palestinian opposition to a Jewish state within any borders.

Kerry's speech indicated the US belief that Israeli actions were threatening peace in the Middle East.

"Like the Security Council resolution, that Secretary Kerry advanced in the U.N., his speech tonight was skewed against Israel," a statement said.

"The Israeli leader said Kerry "obsessively dealt with settlements".

  1. Read more
  2. 24 updates
Theresa May criticises Obama administration's Israeli stance

More on this story