Susan Rice, U.S. National Security Adviser. Photo: U.S. Government.

U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice ridiculed Israel’s Ambassador to Washington, Ron Dermer, for spending time with Republican casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, The Washington Free Beacon reported on Monday.

According to the report, Rice was asked in a recent meeting with a top American Jewish leader why she had not held meetings with Dermer. She responded, “He never asked to meet me.”

“Besides, I understood that he’s too busy traveling to Sheldon Adelson’s events in Las Vegas,” she added, referring to the major Jewish philanthropist who also owns Israeli daily Israel Hayom.

Haaretz reported that Rice was referring to Dermer’s attendance as guest of honor at a gathering of the Republican Jewish Coalition in March. The event, the newspaper claimed, proved that Dermer continues to “dabble in American domestic politics as a sympathizer with the red, Republican side.”

Rice asserted in a Twitter post last week that U.S-Israel relations remain stronger than ever. “As I said yesterday, U.S.-Israel security relationship is stronger than it has ever been,” she tweeted.