NEW YORK - The owner and publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times, Andrew Adler, has suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu consider ordering a Mossad hit team to assassinate U.S. President Barack Obama so that his successor will defend Israel against Iran.

Adler, who has since apologized for his article, listed three options for Israel to counter Irans nuclear weapons in an article published in his newspaper last Friday. The first is to launch a pre-emptive strike against Hamas and Hezbollah, the second is to attack Irans nuclear facilities and the third 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 its helping the Jewish state obliterate its enemies.

Open gallery view U.S. President Barack Obama taking the stage to speak at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism. Credit: Reuters

Adler goes on to write: Yes, you read three correctly. Order a hit on a president in order to preserve Israels existence. Think about it. If have thought of this Tom-Clancy-type scenario, dont you think that this almost unfathomable idea has been discussed in Israels most inner circles?

Adler apologized yesterday for the article, saying I very much regret it; I wish I hadnt made reference to it at all, Adler told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. And in an interview with Gawker.com, Adler denied that he was advocating an assassination of Obama.

Open gallery view The op-ed in Atlanta Jewish Times.

The American Jewish Committee in Atlanta last night issued a harsh condemnation of Adlers article, saying that his proposals are shocking beyond belief.

"While we acknowledge Mr. Adler's apology, we are flabbergasted that he could ever say such a thing in the first place. How could he even conceive of such a twisted idea?" said Dov Wilker, director of AJC Atlanta. "Mr. Adler surely owes immediate apologies to President Obama, as well as to the State of Israel and his readership, the Atlanta Jewish community."

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