Former Democratic New York City Mayor Ed Koch supports U.S. President Barack Obama's re-election bid but the 87-year-old has issued stinging criticism of Obama's policies in the Middle East, particularly regarding Israel.

In an interview with Fox News, Koch said Obama has made the U.S. look like "a paper tiger" against Islamic violence around the world and that Obama's policy toward Israel is "wrong."

Koch said he agrees with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a red line should be drawn on Iran's nuclear program and that the U.S. should clearly declare that a violation of that red line would prompt an automatic American military response.

Koch added that permitting Iran to obtain nuclear weapons would also be allowing it to use those weapons against Israel.

Koch served as mayor of New York for three terms from 1978 to 1989. Previously, he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977.