Obama camp disavows Jackson remarks

ZIONIST ASSERTION: BARACK OBAMA'S campaign has disavowed an assertion by veteran civil rights activist Jesse Jackson that the Democratic candidate would end decades of "Zionist" control of American foreign policy, writes Denis Staunton

New York Post columnist Amir Taheri reported that Mr Jackson told the World Policy Forum in the French lakeside resort of Evian that "decades of putting Israel's interests first" would end if Mr Obama becomes president.

Mr Jackson was reported as saying that although "Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades" remain strong, they will lose a great deal of their influence under an Obama administration.

"Obama is about change," Mr Jackson told the columnist in an interview.

"And the change that Obama promises is not limited to what we do in America itself. It is a change of the way America looks at the world and its place in it."

Mr Obama's national security spokeswoman Wendy Morigi said that Mr Jackson does not advise Mr Obama and was in no position to interpret or share the candidate's views on Israel and foreign policy.

"Barack Obama has a fundamental commitment to a strong US-Israel relationship," Ms Morigi said.

"As president, he will ensure that Israel can defend itself from every threat it faces, stand with Israel in his quest for a secure peace with its neighbours, and use all elements of American power to end Iran's illicit nuclear programme."

Mr Jackson said in a statement that his remarks had been quoted out of context and that he had never had a conversation with Mr Obama about Israel and the Middle East.

"I stand forthrightly for the security and stability of Israel, its protection from any form of hostility and a peaceful, non-violent resolution to coexisting with its Palestinian neighbours," Mr Jackson said.

Relations between Mr Obama and Mr Jackson have been chilly since a Fox News microphone earlier this year picked up the civil rights campaigner whispering that "Barack's been talking down to black people . . . I want to cut his nuts off."

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times