WASHINGTON – Controversial remarks about Israel by veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas drew sharp criticism from the Obama administration on Monday, as well as the cancellation of a high school graduation speech she was to deliver.
Monday afternoon, the Hearst News Service reported that Thomas announced her retirement.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked at his daily briefing with reporters about President Barack Obama’s reaction to Thomas’ remarks. Gibbs called them “offensive and reprehensible.”
Thomas, a columnist for Hearst Newspapers, has apologized for comments that were captured on video by an interviewer for the website www.rabbilive.com. On the May 27 video, Thomas says Israelis should “get the hell out of Palestine,” suggesting they go to Germany, Poland or the U.S.
“She should and has apologized,” Gibbs said. “Because obviously those remarks do not reflect certainly the opinion of most of the people here and certainly not of the administration.”