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Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman. (AP)
Last update - 12:00 27/04/2008
U.S. fumes after Israeli envoy to UN brands Carter 'a bigot'
By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Jimmy Carter, U.S., Hamas 

The United States registered an official protest with Israel against its ambassador to the United Nations, Dan Gillerman, for calling former U.S. President Jimmy Carter an "enemy of Israel" prior to Carter's recent visit to the region.

A senior Foreign Ministry source said Saturday that the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv asked that Gillerman be made aware of the U.S. administration's dissatisfaction with the disrespectful comments about the former U.S. President.

In addition, the State Department is planning to issue a public statement condemning comments made by Gillerman at a press conference in New York on Thursday, where he called Carter a "bigot."
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Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, "went to the region with soiled hands and came back with bloody hands after shaking the hand of Khaled Meshal, the leader of Hamas," Gillerman told reporters. Gillerman also described the Carter-Meshal as "a very sad episode in American history."

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni refused yesterday to respond to the demand by MK Yossi Beilin that Gillerman be recalled for his statements against Carter. Beilin described the ambassador's statements as "mad."

A Livni aide said that the foreign minister does not normally communicate with Israeli ambassadors through the media.

However, a Foreign Ministry source said that Gillerman is due to leave his post in the coming months, following five years at the UN.

The same source said that Gillerman's attack on Carter "surprised and embarrassed" Jerusalem, which contravened direct instructions from Livni to avoid comments on the former president.

Even though Israel's political leadership expressed its reservations at Carter's intention to meet with the Hamas leaders, the Foreign Ministry contributed to coordinating his meetings and emphasized that no decision was taken to boycott him.



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      1.   Envoy was right on target 02:40  |  Brod 27/04/08
      2.   It is best for Israel to dump America 02:46  |  Wendy 27/04/08
      3.   US SHOULD MAKE UP ITS MIND 02:48  |  Dale 27/04/08
      4.   U.S. "Fumes" - Yeah, right 02:51  |  Tod Zuckerman 27/04/08
      5.   Of course Carter is a bigot 02:57  |  Genuine Tosefta 27/04/08
      6.   CARTER TOOL OF STATE DEPT ARABISTS PUSHING ANTI-ISRAEL AGENDA 03:04  |  G. Marcus 27/04/08
      7.   I`m fuming too! 03:12  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 27/04/08
      8.   Thank you Akiva Eldar, it`s a good follow-up on matter 03:29  |  Smadar 27/04/08
      9.   Carter is a bigot 03:33  |  Jim in Tupelo 27/04/08
      10.   No 2 Wendy-you`re correct 03:39  |  Steve 27/04/08
      11.   Well.... 03:44  |  Cherice 27/04/08
      12.   I`m sorry 03:49  |  Jason 27/04/08
      13.   Tod Zukerman (Post No. 4) 03:49  |  Johnny Weintraub 27/04/08
      14.   So, what else is new? 03:59  |  * BEN JABO 27/04/08
      15.   Thank you Ambassador Gillerman 04:10  |  Sara 27/04/08
      16.   You can`t expect much from Israel 04:12  |  beijing0808 27/04/08
      17.   fumes 04:13  |  Shmuelshachor 27/04/08
      18.   U.S. fumes 04:16  |  Maury 27/04/08
      19.   Sooner or Later 04:17  |  Baz Mann 27/04/08
      20.   Dan Gillerman suffers from a superiority complex 04:19  |  Jerry 27/04/08
      21.   JIMMY CATRER 04:22  |  GARY WILLIAMS 27/04/08
      22.   1-5 complete idiots!!! hahahahahah:) 04:24  |  puzzled 27/04/08
      23.   Carter the "enemy?" Really? 04:32  |  Jay Chamblin 27/04/08
      24.   U,S fumes 04:36  |  Abe 27/04/08
      25.   U S does not fume 04:53  |  Friend 27/04/08
      26.   What a silly argument 05:03  |  Mark Lincoln 27/04/08
      27.   We need to stop relying on USA and only rely on ourselves 05:10  |  David 27/04/08
      28.   Who cares? NO ONE outside of the US likes Israel 05:16  |  Euro 27/04/08
      29.   Meanwhile, back in the USA 05:19  |  Mark Lincoln 27/04/08
      30.   Jimmy Carter is an embarrassment 05:20  |  billskat 27/04/08
      31.   Dan Gillerman 05:21  |  David Favre 27/04/08
      32.   Carter `a bigot` 05:28  |  Average US Citizen 27/04/08
      33.   GOD bless President Carter ... 05:31  |  American 27/04/08
      34.   Carter is a Marxist a Bigot and a Moron 05:35  |  Eli 27/04/08
      35.   RICE PUSHING ANTI-ISRAEL AGENDA OF STATE DEPT ARABISTS 05:36  |  G. Marcus 27/04/08
      36.   mr carter is worth more 05:43  |  rm 27/04/08
      37.   Carter a bigot 05:44  |  John P 27/04/08
      38.   Look Up the Word `Bigot` 05:47  |  MaoSayTongue 27/04/08
      39.   Off the Diplomatic Deep-end 05:48  |  Merle 27/04/08
      40.   being wary of dark forces 05:54  |  hollingsworth 27/04/08
      41.   he called a spade a spade, so what? 05:55  |  Boris 27/04/08
      42.   I disagree with the criticism 05:56  |  Nechama 27/04/08
      43.   Viva President Carter! 05:57  |  hollingsworth 27/04/08
      44.   #2 Yes Israel, please "dump" us 06:28  |  Jesse 27/04/08
      45.   Jimmy Carter a Bigot 06:43  |  Louis A. Romo 27/04/08
      46.   bigot carter 06:47  |  jesse james 27/04/08
      47.   "Fuming" is Eldar`s Interpretation 06:51  |  Fish 27/04/08
      48.   Gillerman: persona non grata 07:05  |  Bud 27/04/08
      49.   Jimmah Cahtar 07:22  |  Don Gilliland 27/04/08
      50.   #2 Wendy - Dump U.S. YES!! 07:23  |  Bryce Carson 27/04/08
      51.   Carter for peace 07:29  |  Johnjf 27/04/08
      52.   Israeli bigots rate "achievements" in USA 07:31  |  Esther 27/04/08
      53.   Worse than "bigot"... 07:32  |  Blogowitz 27/04/08
      54.   PC Bull! carter is a bigot! USA is sorry! 07:35  |  Avram 27/04/08
      55.   US fumes? 07:46  |  Sylvia 27/04/08
      56.   Better to remain silent 08:17  |  Noey 27/04/08
      57.   #2 Yes Israel, please "dump" us 08:30  |  simon rabinoivich 27/04/08
      58.   Carter consultant to Arafat in 1990`s 08:40  |  Aharon Rosenbaum 27/04/08
      59.   how many teeth in an "official protest"? 09:10  |  Arik 27/04/08
      60.   As a US Citizen I`m Fuming At the State Dept. 09:14  |  IW 27/04/08
      61.   Too much talking for nothing 09:27  |  Dr D 27/04/08
      62.   Shame on Carter and his supporters 09:35  |  Michael 27/04/08
      63.   arrogance 09:45  |  Michael 27/04/08
      64.   THE REALITY CHECKS: Follow the Money.The Carter Center: 10:00  |  Ben 27/04/08
      65.   Kick him out!!! 10:03  |  Danny 27/04/08
      66.   TO SARA # 7 10:04  |  Steve Beikirch 27/04/08
      67.   US fuming over Gillerman`s comments 10:12  |  Ilan 27/04/08
      68.   GILLERMAN TO BE NAMED IN SLANDER LAW SUIT 10:14  |  VoiceOfAmerica 27/04/08
      69.   Carter the duck 10:31  |  alan 27/04/08
      70.   My name is Dan Gillerman, and I would like to apologize..... 10:38  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/04/08
      71.   Mark Lincoln 10:42  |  TonyL 27/04/08
      72.   Israeli Ambassadors 11:03  |  Become Aware