The White House has hit out at Mohamed Morsi over the Egyptian President’s recently-revealed comments that he called Zionists “bloodsuckers” in a television interview aired in 2010.

The White House yesterday called on Mr Morsi to apologise for the “deeply offensive” comments in which he called for “military resistance” against Zionist “bloodsuckers, warmongers, the descendants of apes and pigs”.

Jay Carney, the White House spokesperson, said: “We believe that President Morsi should make clear that he respects people of all faiths and that this type of rhetoric is unacceptable in a democratic Egypt.”