Secretary of State John Kerry has issued a statement on his controversial remark about Israel and apartheid that led Senator Ted Cruz to call for his resignation today, saying he “would have chosen a different word” if he had a second chance at saying it.
Kerry says that during his service at the State Department and in the U.S. Senate, he’s “walked the walk” and shown repeated support for the state of Israel, reiterating his desire for a two-state solution “that results in a secure Jewish state and a prosperous Palestinian state.”
He defiantly declares, “I will not allow my commitment to Israel to be questioned by anyone, particularly for partisan, political purposes, so I want to be crystal clear about what I believe and what I don’t believe.” He proceeds to explain he does not consider Israel an apartheid state and regrets the word choice.
“If I could rewind the tape, I would have chosen a different word to describe my firm belief that the only way in the long term to have a Jewish state and two nations and two peoples living side by side in peace and security is through a two state solution.”
[mediaite]