(JTA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will “review” his appointment of a potential media chief for calling President Barack Obama antisemitic. Netanyahu made the remark to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday, Nov. 5, according to U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby. The prime minister has tapped Ran Baratz, a former university lecturer who posted on Facebook in March that Obama’s reaction to Netanyahu’s speech to Congress was “modern antisemitism,” to head Israel’s National Information Directorate. Netanyahu called Baratz’s comments “inappropriate” and “unacceptable.” White House spokesman Josh Earnest called the apology “warranted,” but stopped short of explicitly accepting it.

On Thursday, Oct. 5, Baratz apologized for his comments, as well as for not alerting Netanyahu to the comments before his appointment was announced, in a Facebook post. Baratz said he asked the prime minister for an opportunity to clear things up in the coming days. Baratz’s Facebook comments, which also mocked Kerry and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, came to light earlier in the week when Rivlin’s bureau requested an explanation from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Baratz’s appointment must still be approved by the Israeli Cabinet.