Israeli Foreign Ministry has summoned Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter after his controversial comments in a podcast interview, according to Arab News.
During a podcast run by the right-wing US online media platform PragerU, Leiter has accused opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of levelling “blood libels” against Netanyahu.
He also accused “extremists on the left” and the Israeli media of attempting to overthrow Netanyahu’s government.
“It’s the extremists, and there is nothing they won’t do to bring Netanyahu down, and it’s a calumny that needs to be called out,” he said, accusing Netanyahu’s detractors of levelling “blood libels against your own PM”.
Leiter also rejected the “insanity” claims that Netanyahu was prolonging the war in Gaza in order to remain in power, adding: “How dare they say something as malicious as that?”
However, 55% of the public believes Netanyahu is more interested in remaining in power than putting an immediate end to the ongoing war or freeing the hostages still held in Gaza, according to a poll published by Israel’s Channel 12 News.
“The Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eden Bar-Tal, will summon the ambassador in Washington, Dr Yechiel Leiter, for a hearing regarding statements he made during a media interview,” the Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
The spokesman also added that the summons was “in accordance with the instructions of the Discipline Department at the Civil Service Commission.”
Despite the fact that Leiter was chosen by Netanyahu and his role is just a political appointment, Israel is anticipated to abstain diplomats from making political statements.
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