In an appearance on Newsmax's "The Steve Malzberg Show," Malcolm Hoenline called newly-appointed Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel "Jackie Mason on steroids," and says the threat from Hamas to Obama over his upcoming visit to Temple Mount is "outrageous."
A Newsmax (http://bit.ly/14xZQPS) teaser from the show says, Hoenline, the head of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, claims he will be watching Hagel closely to see how proceeds with U.S. policies towards Israel going forward.
"So much of what he has said is disturbing," Hoenline says, referring to Hagel's 2008 statement that "the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people" in Washington.
"We will judge by what he does now. He claims that it was a mistake and he didn't intend what he said. He's sort of a Jackie Mason on steroids when it comes to what he has said," Hoenline adds.
"[On Tuesday], he met with the defense minister of Israel, made some very strong statements [and] has come out strongly on the Iran issue," says Hoenline, "But the truth is…each of the presidents came into office saying they were going to make peace---until they sit down and they figure out and try it and find out that the other side walked away from it for no reason."
On Hamas' warning to President Obama over his scheduled journey to the Temple Mount later this month, Hoenline says, "The threat is outrageous. A person of any religion from anywhere ought to be able to visit. He doesn't want a provocation. But this is an insult to the president, it's an insult to the sacredness of this place."
