U.S. officials reacted angrily Tuesday to comments attributed to Israel 's defense minister criticizing Secretary of State John Kerry 's efforts to broker a peace agreement between Israel and Palestinians . The derisive remarks appeared in a popular daily Israeli newspaper , Yedioth Ahronot , and reflect Moshe Yaalon 's skepticism of the Kerry-led U.S. efforts `` both in private conversations in Israel and in the U.S. '' `` American Secretary of State John Kerry , who turned up here determined and acting out of misplaced obsession and messianic fervor , can not teach me anything about the conflict with the Palestinians , '' Yaalon said , according to the paper . Yaalon later issued an apology in a written statement sent to media from the Defense Ministry . `` Israel and the United States share a common goal to advance the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians led by Secretary Kerry . We appreciate Secretary Kerry 's many efforts towards that end , '' the release said . `` 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 . '' Earlier , the U.S. State Department issued a harsh rebuke . Spokeswoman Marie Harf said it was shocking that a close ally would question Kerry 's motives . `` If these comments are accurate , we find the remarks of the defense minister to be offensive and inappropriate , especially given all that the United States has done to support Israel 's security needs and will continue to do , '' she said at a regular media briefing . `` Secretary Kerry and his team , including Gen. ( John ) Allen , have been working day and night to try to promote a secure peace for Israel because of the secretary 's deep concern for Israel 's future . '' President Barack Obama 's press secretary Jay Carney said much the same thing to reporters at the daily news conference at the White House . He added that Kerry met Sunday in Paris with Arab leaders to discuss peace initiatives , efforts that will continue . `` We 're pressing forward with both the Israelis and the Palestinians on this process and hope that it bears fruit , '' he said . Kerry recently visited Jerusalem where he met multiple times with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . He declined to share details of the conversations with reporters but told them that progress was being made during the trip , his ninth to the region since becoming secretary about a year ago . `` We 're at the table today because of the determination to try to resolve this issue , and both of them have made the tough choices to stay at that table , '' he said January 5 . `` We are now at a point where the choices narrow down and the choices are obviously real and difficult . And so we -- the United States , President Obama , myself -- will do everything in our power to help the parties be able to see the road ahead in ways that will meet the interests of both of their peoples . '' Kerry has floated a proposal based on five months of intensive consultations with Israelis and Palestinians since the resumption of the peace process last summer . Yaalon was quoted Tuesday as saying : `` The American security plan presented to us is not worth the paper it 's written on . It contains no peace and no security . '' Sa'eb Erekat , chief Palestinian negotiator and a member of the executive committee of the PLO , told CNN the comments were another indication that the Israeli government was trying to sabotage Kerry 's efforts . Israel wants to dictate terms , not negotiate , he told CNN . `` This is absolutely inappropriate and extremely despicable statements , because Mr. Kerry is exerting every possible human effort for the sake of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis , and he should not be rewarded with such statements from Yaalon or somebody else , '' he said .
Israeli defense minister says he had no intention to offend Kerry . John Kerry has `` misplaced obsession and messianic fervor , '' Moshe Yaalon quoted as saying . U.S. State Department calls the comments `` offensive and inappropriate '' Kerry has said difficult choices lie ahead for Israeli , Palestinian negotiators .