Netanyahu's brother-in-law: 'Obama is an anti-Semite'

The brother-of-law of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Israeli radio that President Barack Obama is an anti-Semite -- remarks that were quickly dismissed by Netanyahu.

"It must be stated clearly and simply. Unfortunately, there is an anti-Semitic president in America," Hagi Ben-Artzi, the brother of Netanyahu's wife, Sarah, said on Army Radio. "As a politician, who ran for presidency, he had to hide it, but from time to time, it bursts out from inside."

Ben-Artzi said that the U.S. should keep out the disputes over Jerusalem, and made his comments in the wake of a diplomatic row between Israel and the U.S. over the announcement of new construction in East Jerusalem that came during Vice President Joe Biden's visit last week. The White House characterized the move as an "insult," though Netanyahu apologized for the timing of the announcement.

Ben-Artzi linked his opinions about Obama's beliefs to the president's time spent with Rev. Wright.

"For 20 years he sat with the preacher Jeremiah Wright, who is anti-Semitic, anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli,” he said. “When an anti-Semitic president comes to power inAmerica , it is our test, and we must say: ‘We will not give up. We are a 4,000-year-old people, while you will pass on and disappear in one or two years. Who will remember you? But Jerusalem will always be secure.'"

In another interview Wednesday, on the Hebrew station Arutz-7, Ben-Artzi reiterated his charge.

"The time has come to tell the truth," he said. “I understand the prime minister’s reaction to me, but the truth must be told. Obama is an anti-Semite.”

The prime minister's reaction was swift. Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying that he strongly opposed the remarks and that it wasn't the first time that the prime minister "totally disagrees" with his brother-in-law.