Like his boss, new UK FM Boris Johnson is an Israel backer

[Little Tich]

9. US Jewish leaders seek White House apology for Dermer-Boris Johnson comparison

Source: Times of Israel

Obama spokesman Josh Earnest said reaction to appointment of British FM reminded him of similar response to Israeli ambassador

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations is seeking an apology from the White House for having compared Israel’s ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer, with the new British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

At a press briefing Thursday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest referenced Dermer while discussing British Prime Minister Theresa May’s selection of Johnson as foreign secretary. Asked for his response to the blunt-talking Johnson’s past criticisms of Obama, Earnest responded that he “got questions of this variety when [Israeli] Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu had announced that Ambassador Dermer would be the Israeli envoy to the United States.”

The American-born Dermer, who assumed the ambassador post in 2013, was a Republican strategist before he became one of Netanyahu’s closest advisers. He helped draft the “Contract with America,” the 1994 Republican campaign to gain control of Congress. Last year, he helped arrange Netanyahu’s controversial speech to a joint session of Congress criticizing the impending agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.

The Conference of Presidents called the comparison “inappropriate” Friday, and called on Earnest to apologize.

Read more: http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-jewish-leaders-seek-white-house-apology-for-dermer-boris-johnson-comparison/