Mexico to Israel: We expect clarification, rectification over wall remark

Mexico's Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray speaks about US President Donald Trump, during the Plenary Meeting of Senators of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), at the Senate of the Republic's building in Mexico City, Mexico January 30, 2017. (Photos by Reuters)

Mexico has demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologize for praising US President Donald Trump's plans to construct a wall along the border.

"We are expecting a clarification, a rectification. I think that an apology would be something appropriate in this case," said Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray on Monday.

On his official Twitter account on Saturday, Netanyahu said that a similar barrier built by Tel Aviv along the Egyptian border “stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea.”

Videgaray added that his country rejects Netanyahu’s remarks and hopes that Israeli correct its stance on the subject, and that Tel Aviv’s explanation for the remarks was not acceptable.

After Netanyahu’s tweet, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said Bibi had been referring to Israel’s “specific security experience,” and had nothing to do with US-Mexico ties.

Meanwhile, during a meeting with his Likud party, Netanyahu claimed that media was responsible for blowing the incident out of proportion.

"They say 'you’ve hurt Mexico, you've ruined the relationship with them.' Who even referred to Mexico? We've had a good relationship with them and we will keep on having one," he said.

Construction on the area around the port of entry from Mexico to the United States continues next to the border wall in San Ysidro, California, US, January 25, 2017.

On January 25, the US president signed executive actions to begin the construction of the Mexico border wall and increase the number of immigration enforcement officers who carry out deportations. 

The US president’s calls earlier this week for Mexico to pay for the border wall sparked a rift, prompting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to drop a planned visit to Washington.