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"From the fullness of my heart, I personally apologize on behalf of my family and me," Emanuel said. (Google) |
CAIRO — US president-elect Barack Obama's White House chief of staff has apologized for the Arab community over his father's offensive anti-Arab remarks.
"From the fullness of my heart, I personally apologize on behalf of my family and me," Rahm Emanuel said in a statement on the website of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).
During a phone call with ACD president Mary Rose Oakar, Emanuel said it was unacceptable to make remarks against any ethnic community.
"These are not the values upon which I was raised or those of my family," he said.
A spokesman for Emanuel said the White House chief of staff would meet soon with representatives of the Arab community.
"Today, Rep. Emanuel called Mary Rose Oakar, president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and apologized on behalf of his family and agreed to meet with representatives of the Arab-American community at an appropriate time in the future."
Emanuel's father has mocked at Arabs during a recent interview with Israeli daily Maariv.
"Obviously, he will influence the president to be pro-Israel," Benjamin Emanuel said, referring to his son.
"Why wouldn't he? What is he, an Arab? He's not going to clean the floors of the White House," added the former member of the Irgun, a Zionist militia of former prime minister Menachem Begin, which carried out a series of terrorist attacks against Arabs in Palestine in the 1940s.
Welcome
Emanuel's apology won plaudits from the Arab community in the US.
"I welcome Rahm's apology and his pledge to meet with our Community," said ADC president Oakar.
"I also thank our members and friends who responded who expressed concern about this matter."
The ADC has sent a letter to Emanuel asking him to disavow his father's anti-Arab statements.
"The ADC views this characterization of an Arab as an unacceptable smear," reads the letter.
"One can readily imagine the justifiable outcry if someone made a similar remark about African-Americans, Jews, or Hispanics, concerning cleaning the floors of the White House.
"ADC asks you to disavow and repudiate these remarks publicly. We sincerely hope you will distance yourself from any demeaning characterization of any ethnic, religious, or racial group."
Dubbed as "Rahmbo" for his tough and aggressive style, Emanuel was chosen last week by president-elect Obama as his White House's chief of staff.
Born in Chicago in 1959, Emanuel is known for his staunch support to Israel.
In 1991, Emanuel volunteered to serve in Israel's army during the first Gulf War.
He has been a vocal critic of the Palestinian intifada against the Israeli occupation, criticizing Arab countries for not pressuring the Palestinians to stop "violence".
At a 2003 pro-Israel rally in Chicago, Emanuel said Israel was ready for peace but would not get there until Palestinians "turn away from the path of terror".
In his White House post, Emanuel is likely to emerge as a key player in implementing Obama's agenda, which includes foreign policy, health care, energy and tax reform and efforts to tackle climate change.
Some US Observers have portrayed Emanuel as the "bad cop" to Obama's "good cop".
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