The editor and publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times, Andrew Adler, has come under fire for an op-ed in which he surmised that the Israeli Prime Minister should “order a hit” on U.S. President Barack Obama in order to preserve the Jewish state.In the article, published over a week ago, Adler laid out three possible scenarios for the Israeli Prime Minister to follow, the third being the assassination of Obama by Israeli Mossad agents based in the U.S. The other two options, according to Adler, would be for Israel to launch an all-out assault on Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, or for Israel to attack Iran. He argues that these are the only ways for Israel to preserve its existence in the face of the threat he claims is posed by the Iranian state.
The online news and opinion site Gawker.com scanned the print article and posted it on their website, along with a conversation their reporter had with Adler regarding his article, in which Adler ‘nervously’ stated that he did not mean to imply that Israel should assassinate the U.S. President, and on Friday issued an apology.
Contrary to his conversation with Gawker.com, Adler’s article states clearly that Netanyahu’s ‘third option’ is to “give the go-ahead for U.S.-based Mossad agents to take out a president deemed unfriendly to Israel in order for the current vice president to take his place, and forcefully dictate that the United States’ policy includes it helping the Jewish state obliterate its enemies.”
He continues, “Yes, you read ‘three’ correctly. Order a hit on a president in order to preserve Israel’s existence. Think about it. If I have thought of this Tom Clancy-type scenario, don’t you think that this almost unfathomable idea has been discussed in Israel’s most inner circles?”
On Friday, after dozens of commentators criticized the article, Adler told reporters with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) that he plans to publish an apology in the next issue of his newspaper, after his article received negative responses from readers.
In response to claims that the U.S. Secret Service was investigating the call for Obama’s assassination, Adler told the JTA that he had not been contacted by the Secret Service, and was not aware of any investigation.
