GOPers seek Obama apology on Israel

Two freshman House Republicans are demanding President Barack Obama apologize for remarks of his that were reportedly caught on a hot mic in which he complains about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to Reuters, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was overheard telling Obama, “I cannot bear Netanyahu, he’s a liar” during the G-20 summit last week in France. Obama apparently responded: "You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you.”

New York Rep. Michael Grimm, chairman of the House Republican Israel Caucus, called the remarks “highly offensive,” “disgraceful” and “inappropriate.”

“Whether the microphones are on or off, the message to our allies in Israel should always remain the same: ‘We stand with you,’” Grimm said in a statement Tuesday.

Meanwhile, New York Rep. Bob Turner, whose September special election victory was at least partially construed as a referendum on the president’s stances toward Israel, added Tuesday that Obama’s comments could be “dangerously misconstrued” as a lack of support toward the country.

“These are dangerous times in the Mideast, and we cannot allow Israel's enemies to believe there is a crack of light between our relationship,” Turner said. “This is the time to make clear that America stands resolutely beside her ally.”

White House press secretary Jay Carney on Tuesday repeatedly declined to elaborate on the president’s remarks.

“What I can say more broadly is that this president’s position has been quite clear on the issue of efforts by the Palestinians to achieve through the United Nations what can only be achieved effectively through direct negotiations,” Carney said. “And the president believes very firmly that both sides, the Israelis and the Palestinians, need to take those steps that bring them closer together to direct negotiations and not ones that make it harder to have that happen."