WASHINGTON – Controversial Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who has been making headlines due to his ties with presidential candidate Barack Obama, spoke out on Monday as part of an attempt to clear his name, following the criticism roused by some of his statements.
During his talk, Wright denied comparing Israel's policies to apartheid, saying that former US President Jimmy Carter had made the connection, not him
"My position on Israel is that Israel has a right to exist; that Israelis have a right to exist, as I said, reconciled one to another," he said during his address. "Palestinians and Israelis need to sit down and talk to each other and work out a solution where their children can grow in a world together and not be talking about killing each other; that is not God's will," he said.
Reverend Wright speaks out (Photo: AFP)
With his remarks, Wright attempted to minimize the damage he was perceived to be causing to Obama's campaign as the democratic candidate fights his rival, Hilary Clinton, for the vote of the white middle class.
"So my position is that Israel and the people of Israel be the people of God who are worrying about reconciliation and who are trying to do what God wants for God's people, which is reconciliation," the reverend stated.
Obama's campaign has been harmed by Wright's past anti-American statements, which were broadcast throughout the US. His outbursts were seen to alienate the working classes, which are viewed as the life blood of the Democratic Party and without whom the party has a slim chance of leading the White House.
The issue has also been a cause for concern among the 300 Democratic superdelegates who remain undecided on their vote.
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