Israel's Defense Minister Apologizes For John Kerry Comments

Obama administration called Moshe Ya'alon's comments "offensive and inappropriate"

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon apologized for criticizing U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's peace efforts after the Obama administration condemned his comments as "offensive and inappropriate."

"Israel and the United States share a common goal of advancing the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians led by Secretary Kerry," Ya'alon said in an e-mailed statement overnight. "The defense minister had no intention to cause any offense to the secretary, and he apologizes if the secretary was offended by words attributed to the minister."

Kerry, in Kuwait for a Syria donors conference, told reporters today he wouldn't let Ya'alon's comments "undermine" peace efforts. He said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are "both very committed to moving the process forward and we just can't let one set of comments undermine that effort and I don't intend to."