An Israeli legislator refused to apologize for calling the U.S. ambassador to Israel a “Jew boy.” Knesset member Zvi Hendel told Israel’s Army Radio on Wednesday that while his choice of words may have been extreme, he had no intention of apologizing to U.S. Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer. Hendel on Tuesday called Kurtzer a “Jew boy” and accused him of meddling in internal Israeli affairs. Hendel was responding to Kurtzer’s recent remark that Israel should spend money on the disabled, not on Jewish settlements. The Knesset Ethics Committee planned to convene in a special session to consider complaints lodged against Hendel. In another development, Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg invited Kurtzer to attend a special meeting next Monday to receive an apology from the Knesset.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.