Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan: "'Israel Doesn't Take Orders From Obama" And "Will Not Become The US's Fifty First State"

Responding to a statement by President Obama in which he reaffirmed his commitment to understandings launched at Annapolis in 2007, Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) said on Monday, "Israel does not take orders from Obama." Erdan is also in charge of coordinating between the Knesset and the cabinet. He also praised Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

"Let me be clear," Obama had said, "the United States strongly supports the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. That is a goal shared by Palestinians, Israelis, and people of good will around the world. That is a goal that the parties agreed to in the road map and at Annapolis. And that is a goal that I will actively pursue as president."

"In voting for [Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu the citizens of Israel have decided that they will not become the US's fifty first state," said Erdan, who was representing the coalition in a Knesset deliberation of Lieberman's controversial statements. He added, however, that "Obama is a friend of Israel and the United States is an important ally and everything between us will be the result of communication."