SWC Condemns Publisher's Suggestion that Assasinating President Obama was an Option for Israel in Fight to Stop a Nuclear Iran

Andrew Adler, the owner of the Atlanta Jewish Times, apologized for an opinion column in which he wrote that President Obama's assassination was one of Israel's options in thefight against Iran's pursuit of going nuclear.

According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), the January 13, 2012 opinion piece, "Outlined what he [Adler] said were three possible responses by Israel to Iran's acquiring anuclear weapon: A preemptive strike against Hamas and Hezbollah, terrorist groups that he said would be emboldened by a nuclear Iran; a direct strike on Iran; and "three, give thego-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 UnitedStates policy includes its helping the Jewish state obliterate its enemies."

"These irresponsible and reprehensible comments are simply beyond the pale and must be publicly condemned by Jewish leaders across the ideological and political spectrum," said RabbiAbraham Cooper, Simon Wiesenthal Center associate dean. "We take small comfort from the apology — what a shanda!" he added.

For more information, please contact the Center's Public Relations Department at 310.553.9036, join the Center on Facebook, www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter, or follow @simonwiesenthal for newsupdates sent direct to your Twitter page or mobile device.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400.000 members. It is an NGO at international agencies including the UnitedNations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS and the Latin American Parliament.