Ran Baratz: Benjamin Netanyahu spokesman branded Barack Obama ‘anti-Semitic’ in Facebook posts

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defied calls to rescind his appointment to the role of public diplomacy co-ordinator of a hard-right Jewish settler who has termed US President Barack Obama an anti-Semite.

Vitriolic Facebook posts by Ran Baratz targeting the US administration, including a reference to Secretary of State John Kerry as someone “whose mental age doesn’t exceed 12”, came to light after the announcement on Wednesday that he had been given the sensitive post in place of Mark Regev, Israel’s new ambassador to Britain. The posts, which include an attack on Israel’s moderate president, Reuven Rivlin, predated Mr Baratz’s appointment.

The controversy comes days before Mr Netanyahu is due to visit the White House in an effort to improve relations frayed by the Israeli leader’s campaign against the Iran nuclear deal.

Mr Baratz, 42, a resident of the Kfar Adumim settlement in the occupied West Bank, has a PhD in philosophy from the Hebrew University, but was dismissed from his teaching post there five years ago. His associates say this was because of his right-wing views; the university denies this. He went on to found Mida, a right-wing website.

In March, after Mr Netanyahu’s speech to the US Congress attacking the looming Iran deal, Mr Baratz wrote of Mr Obama’s response: “This is how modern anti-Semitism looks in liberal Western countries. And it comes of course with a lot of toleration and understanding for Islamic anti-Semitism...to the point they are willing to give them an atomic [bomb].”

President Rivlin, disliked by Mr Netanyahu for his independent stances, was also targeted. After Mr Rivlin flew economy class from a visit to Prague, Mr Baratz commented: “It says a lot that the president flies in tourist class, and goes around the plane shaking everyone’s hand. It says he is such a marginal figure to the point there is no concern for his life.”

Gila Gamliel, a minister, warned that Mr Baratz’s appointment could damage relations with Washington as his Facebook posts “could be interpreted as being an official position”. She urged Mr Netanyahu to reconsider the appointment before it is put the cabinet for approval on Sunday. Mr Netanyahu said that the posts were “unworthy and do not represent my position or government policy”. But he said Mr Baratz had apologised for them and they would discuss the issue after his return from Washington.

The Opposition MP Tzipi Livni said the problem lay not with Mr Baratz but rather Mr Netanyahu. “Why are people surprised that the person who should be speaking for Israel shares Netanyahu’s views?” she said.