State Department Spokesman John Kirby was questioned during a press briefing on Tuesday about the timing of recent critical remarks made by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro.

The Associated Press’ diplomatic correspondent Matt Lee asked whether comments by Shapiro, who suggested that Israel let some “vigilantism” by its nationals in the West Bank go unchecked, were ill-timed in the wake of the administration’s announcement that it was lifting sanctions on Iran in the context of a nuclear deal.

“In a particularly difficult moment like yesterday was, in the wake of the Iran deal, the sanctions on Iran getting lifted, something that clearly was opposed by Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government, was it wise to send Ambassador Shapiro out to give a speech castigating the Israeli government on issues, and not making really any new points about your opposition to their activities?” He added, “You’re trying to heal relationship with Israel, not exacerbate the problems, I assume, right?”

Kirby responded that Shapiro spoke during a previously scheduled appearance at a conference by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), and that the ambassador “felt it was important, especially in light of events that were going on in the world and in the region, to continue to meet his obligation to speak there.” Kirby noted that Shapiro did not choose the day of the conference, and that the ambassador’s remarks were consistent with previously stated U.S. positions.

“It’s because we value the relationship with Israel so much that we feel that it’s important to continue to have an honest, open, candid, and forthright discussion about our concerns. That he said these things in the speech shouldn’t be misconstrued as us not saying them in private to Israeli leaders as well… This wasn’t a new set of remarks, he didn’t say anything that we haven’t said, again, privately and publicly.”

Kirby added, “we understand that there is still concern over the Iran deal. This is the time to be having these frank and candid discussions with Israeli leaders, this is the time to try to move the relationship forward and to see a real prospect for a two-state solution.”

Lee pressed the point further, emphasizing, “I suppose my question wasn’t really so much about what he actually said, but when he said it. It wasn’t imperative that he go out and deliver a highly critical speech.” He then asked whether “the administration thinks that now, despite the fact that this weekend was a point of big tension not only because of Iran deal and but because of the [terror] attacks… that it was important and to the benefit of the relationship to say what he said at that particular time?”

Kirby responded by indicating that there was no intent to increase tensions with Israel, and stressed that the speech has been on Shapiro’s agenda for a while. “He was simply stating a long-standing public policy of the United States with respect to violence that’s going on there, to the settlement activity which is going on there, and to what we believe needs to happen to get to a two-state solution,” he said.

Lee countered, “People make changes to their prepared remarks all the time. It seems to be clear that he did it intentionally. That this was the message that you guys wanted to send to them, and that you were going to do it regardless of whether the timing might have been bad or misunderstood by the Prime Minister’s office, which came out pretty hard saying it was inappropriate.”

Kirby continued to insist that the ambassador did not seek to upset Israeli leaders, saying, “it would be wrong to conclude that he chose this moment necessarily to tweak noses.”

A video of the exchange between Lee and Kirby is embedded below.

Shapiro’s criticisms at the INSS conference came the day after an Israeli nurse and mother of six, Dafna Meir, was stabbed to death in her home in the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that Shapiro’s remarks were “unacceptable and wrong.” The prime minister rejected Shapiro’s charge that Israel maintained two standards of law enforcement in the West Bank, stressing that “Israel enforces the law against Israelis and Palestinians.” He added, “The Palestinian Authority, which continues to incite and refuses to negotiate, is responsible for the freeze in negotiations.”

Netanyahu met with Shapiro and had what The Times of Israel called “a friendly half-hour meeting” on Tuesday. Netanyahu took the time to meet privately with the ambassador before the two sat down with a group of American legislators in order to emphasize that there was “no personal animosity following Monday’s public spat.” The Times reported further, “Israeli analysts assess that Shapiro, who tends to publicly highlight the strengths of the US-Israel relationship, would not have delivered the strikingly critical remarks Monday without the support and/or direction of the administration in DC.”

[Photo: U.S. Department of State / YouTube ]