Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry accused President Obama of fostering a policy of "appeasement" in the Middle East, blaming him for the standoff at the United Nations over the Palestinian bid for statehood recognition.

Diving into one of the most high-profile foreign policy disputes, the Texas governor appeared alongside Jewish leaders in New York Tuesday to pledge unwavering support to Israel and call on the Obama administration to take a stronger stance against the statehood bid.

"We are indignant that certain Middle Eastern leaders have discarded the principle of direct negotiations," he said. "We are equally indignant of the Obama administration and their Middle East policy of appeasement."

Perry called on the U.S. to approach the Middle East with a "new firmness and a new resolve." Perry criticized Obama for demanding concessions from the Jewish state that Perry says emboldened the Palestinians to seek recognition by the U.N.

"We would not be here today ... if the Obama policy in the Middle East wasn't naive and arrogant, misguided and dangerous," he said...