A spokeswoman for former Florida governor Jeb Bush says the possible Republican presidential candidate “disagrees” with one of his foreign policy advisers who spoke at a left-wing anti-Israel group this week.
James Baker, the former secretary of state and GOP foreign policy veteran, addressed the annual conference for J Street this week. An unpaid adviser to Bush, Baker criticized Benjamin Netanyahu for the Israeli prime minister’s “diplomatic missteps and political gamesmanship” and expressed his support for a nuclear deal with Iran. As Politico reported, he also said he disagreed that President Barack Obama has hurt the United States’s relationship with Israel and said on the issue of a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, Netanyahu’s “actions have not matched his rhetoric.”
“Governor Bush consults a wide range of advisors on foreign policy,” said Kristy Campbell, a spokeswoman for Bush. “While he respects Secretary Baker, he disagrees with the sentiments he expressed last night and opposes J Street’s advocacy. Governor Bush’s support for Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu is unwavering, and he believes it’s critically important our two nations work seamlessly to achieve peace in the region.”
Campbell did not address whether Bush believes Baker should have spoken at the conference in the first place. Likewise, Campbell did not specify on which precise issues Bush actually disagrees with Baker.
