Likud MK Yuval Steinitz expressed his fury on Sunday after an Israeli newspaper portrayed him as a supporter of Republican Senator John McCain in the U.S. presidential elections.

 

Steinitz said the Hebrew-language newspaper, Yediot Acharonot, published his comments about McCain out of context, giving the impression he had endorsed him in the race over his rival, Democratic Senator Barack Obama.

 

The paper published his comments in a column that listed politicians according to which U.S. presidential candidate they endorse.

 

Steinitz said he is demanding an apology and a retraction from the paper.

 

"I met with McCain several times and we had good discussions," said Steinitz in an exclusive interview with Israel National News. "But I am working with senators and congressmen from both sides of the aisle and it would be wrong for me or for anyone else to interfere in American presidential elections. I am furious that my words were taken out of context."

 

Due to his role as co-chairman of the Joint Committee of the Congress and the Knesset, Steinitz said he has made a strict commitment not to take a public stance regarding either presidential candidate.

 

The Likud MK is in frequent close contact both with Democrats and Republicans due to his work with the committee.

 

That doesn't mean he doesn't have a view on how Israel would fare if either Obama or McCain is elected to the White House in November.

 

"I heard Obama at the AIPAC convention, and have met with some of his aides, who came to see me in the U.S. and here in Israel," said Steinitz, who noted however that he has not yet met Obama in person.

 

"If he will follow what he said there, he can become a very powerful president in the Middle East. Unlike [Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert or [Foreign Minister Tzipi] Livni, Obama is clear about Israel's need for security even in peace times. He said Israel deserves to have defensible borders even in times of peace."

 

Steinitz pointed out that Obama had told his Jewish audience at the time that he supported "Israel's right to preserve a united Jerusalem" – a point in his speech he quickly "clarified" after facing flak from the Arab community.

 

"Also with regard to the threat from Iran, he was very clear – he said he would use any capacity to stop the Iranian nuclear threat. But we have to see," he said.

 

As for McCain, "I don't even have to say anything. He was absolutely clear about the issue with Iran," Steinitz said. "I remember my first meeting with him, it was in 2003. They key issue, he said, was Iran, and that we should not ignore the Iranian threat just because of problems we encountered in Iraq or Afghanistan. He was always very clear and focused about the Iranian threat."

 

Either way, Steinitz reiterated that he would work with whomever is elected in November. "I appreciate both candidates, and it's not my place to interfere in any way in presidential elections in the United States," he said.