The owner of the Atlanta Jewish Times has apologized for a column he wrote suggesting that Israel consider assassinating President Obama as a way to deal with a nuclear-armed Iran.
"I'm very sorry for what I wrote," said Andrew Adler, who bought the publication two and a half years ago and is also the publisher. "In no way shape or form am I advocating anything," he said.
Adler's column from Jan. 13 suggested three alternatives for Israel in case Iran acquires nuclear weapons. One was a pre-emptive strike against militant Islamic groups Hamas and Hezbollah. The second was a pre-emptive strike against Iran. And the third: "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 its helping the Jewish state obliterate its enemies."
The column went on to read: "Yes you read ‘three' correctly. . . don't you think that this almost unfathomable idea has been discussed in Israel's most inner circles?"
The website Gawker first reported on Adler's colum, which appears only in print in the weekly newspaper. The column brought strong condemnation.
"It is the height of irresponsibility to make the horrific suggestion that the State of Israel should assassinate the President of the United States of America," wrote David A. Harris of the National Jewish Democratic Council.
Adler apologized for the item to Gawker and to the JTA news service, and said he will print an apology in next week's Atlanta Jewish Times. His newspaper has a circulation of about 3,000.
Adler said he published the column to "get a reaction from the local Jewish community, to asnwer the question, ‘what would you do?""
A spokesman for the Secret Service said the agency was familiar with the column. "We don’t have the luxury to discount any statements," said the spokesman, Max Milien. "By duty we must make appropriate follow-up."
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