Pollard’s ‘Handler’ Says Obama Likely to Free Him
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Former Mossad officer Rafi Eitan said Monday “there is a good probability” President Barack Obama will pardon Jonathan Pollard before the presidential elections in November and free him from prison by the end of the year.
Eitan was Pollard’s “handler” before the American Pentagon worker was arrested for passing on classified information on Israel’s behalf. The offense, which is not in the classification of “spying,” generally carries a 2-4 year sentence in prison, but a federal United States court handed down a life sentence.
President Obama, like those before him, have refused to grant Pollard clemency, despite his deteriorating health.
“There is a change in the air among senior American officials,” Cabinet Minister Yuli Edelstein said Monday.
Several unconfirmed rumors have circulated the past several months that President Obama will try to score points with Jewish voters and free Pollard, who has been incarcerated for more than 27 years.
More than 20,000 academics, artists and intellectuals recently have signed a petition calling on President Shimon Peres to refuse a scheduled “Freedom Medallion” award from President Obama later this year unless Pollard is released.
The petition said: “As citizens of the State of Israel, we congratulate you on President Obama’s decision to grant you the American Freedom Medallion, which symbolizes justice and freedom. Nevertheless, because of the very same values represented by the medallion, we cannot agree with your receiving the medallion at the same time the United States holds Yonatan Pollard in jail for more than 27 years when senior American leaders already have admitted that the life term in prison is immoral and unjust."
Showing posts with label peres. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peres. Show all posts
Monday, March 26, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Peres: Rabin's two state solution accepted by right, left
Peres: Rabin's two state solution accepted by right, left
By JPOST.COM STAFF
03/25/2012 19:14
President Shimon Peres said Sunday that the two state solution has evolved over time into a basic tenet of Israeli policy both "for right-leaning and left-leaning governments," according to Army Radio.
At a ceremony honoring former heads of state, Peres credited former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin with increasing support for the two state solution until it became conventional wisdom
By JPOST.COM STAFF
03/25/2012 19:14
President Shimon Peres said Sunday that the two state solution has evolved over time into a basic tenet of Israeli policy both "for right-leaning and left-leaning governments," according to Army Radio.
At a ceremony honoring former heads of state, Peres credited former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin with increasing support for the two state solution until it became conventional wisdom
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Iran threatens N. Israel with bombardment from Lebanon
Iran threatens N. Israel with bombardment from
Lebanon
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report March 14, 2012, 10:29 PM (GMT+02:00)
Tehran has begun capitalizing on its allies” two perceived victories: Bashar
Assad’s success in seizing Idlib from rebel hands and the Palestinian Jihad
Islami’s triumphal missile assault from Gaza.
The Iranians are now moving forward with plans to match the Palestinian assault on southern Israeli with an offensive on the north from Lebanon. This is reported by debkafile’s exclusive sources in the wake of a visit paid by high-ranking Iranian and Hizballah officials Wednesday morning, March 14, to the Lebanese-Israeli border region opposite Metulah, Israel’s northernmost town at the tip of the Galilee Panhandle.
The Iranian group, led by Ali Akbar Javanfekr, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s spokesman, arrived in a heavily guarded convoy at the Fatma outpost opposite Metulah for its rendezvous with Hizballah military intelligence officers.
Once there, they kept moving around near the Lebanese-Israeli border fence. At times, they came up close and examined the Israel Defense Forces’ ongoing work for fortifying the border fence and upgrading it from a boundary marker to a military barrier able to withstand terrorist incursions into the Galilee panhandle.
The Iranian visitor, Javanfekr, commented in the hearing of our sources: “The Zionists can build any wall they like, whether of concrete, iron or plastic, but we and Hizballah will knock it down, like Israel itself.”
He pitched his voice loudly enough to carry across the border.
His words were taken by top Israeli commanders as a blunt threat of a missile offensive on similar lines to the Gaza confrontation – only this time instead of Jihad Islami in Gaza, Hizballah would be entrusted with shooting missiles from Lebanon.
Word of this threat spurred Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to sharpen his tone in his speech to the Knesset later Wednesday and declare, “We shall strike Iran even if our American friends object.”
He was further irked by a decision by US President Barack Obama and visiting British premier David Cameron, reported by debkafile’s Washington sources, to intensify their efforts for holding Israel back from striking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Netanyahu therefore stressed once again that Israel would decide for itself the best way to pre-empt a nuclear Iran.
No sooner were his comments broadcast, when Washington announced that Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew Shapiro would be traveling to Israel forthwith. He will no doubt try and clarify how far Netanyahu really means to go.
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report March 14, 2012, 10:29 PM (GMT+02:00)
Ali Akbar Javanfekr, Ahmadinejad's
spokesman
The Iranians are now moving forward with plans to match the Palestinian assault on southern Israeli with an offensive on the north from Lebanon. This is reported by debkafile’s exclusive sources in the wake of a visit paid by high-ranking Iranian and Hizballah officials Wednesday morning, March 14, to the Lebanese-Israeli border region opposite Metulah, Israel’s northernmost town at the tip of the Galilee Panhandle.
The Iranian group, led by Ali Akbar Javanfekr, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s spokesman, arrived in a heavily guarded convoy at the Fatma outpost opposite Metulah for its rendezvous with Hizballah military intelligence officers.
Once there, they kept moving around near the Lebanese-Israeli border fence. At times, they came up close and examined the Israel Defense Forces’ ongoing work for fortifying the border fence and upgrading it from a boundary marker to a military barrier able to withstand terrorist incursions into the Galilee panhandle.
The Iranian visitor, Javanfekr, commented in the hearing of our sources: “The Zionists can build any wall they like, whether of concrete, iron or plastic, but we and Hizballah will knock it down, like Israel itself.”
He pitched his voice loudly enough to carry across the border.
His words were taken by top Israeli commanders as a blunt threat of a missile offensive on similar lines to the Gaza confrontation – only this time instead of Jihad Islami in Gaza, Hizballah would be entrusted with shooting missiles from Lebanon.
Word of this threat spurred Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to sharpen his tone in his speech to the Knesset later Wednesday and declare, “We shall strike Iran even if our American friends object.”
He was further irked by a decision by US President Barack Obama and visiting British premier David Cameron, reported by debkafile’s Washington sources, to intensify their efforts for holding Israel back from striking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Netanyahu therefore stressed once again that Israel would decide for itself the best way to pre-empt a nuclear Iran.
No sooner were his comments broadcast, when Washington announced that Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew Shapiro would be traveling to Israel forthwith. He will no doubt try and clarify how far Netanyahu really means to go.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Rocket attacks from Gaza continue into 3rd night
Rocket attacks from Gaza continue into 3rd night
![Rocket-damaged school in Beersheba [file]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uF9nDjcKA2G4RjbaA2INwccAva5JycFfSO2cCXIZICLcN89fk1eweJYKl4DCVNroX4h7e27O4U1dzX02PFK8_OWe-D2pTtzJ1zuxfOcYZ_1SmdvlqPE5nMR0hYiNE=s0-d "Rocket-damaged school in Beersheba [file]")
By REUTERS
Last updated: 03/11/2012 23:46
By REUTERS
Terrorists in Gaza fired rockets into Israeli territory for the third straight night, while the Iron Dome defense system continued to intercept rockets fired at the South's larger cities.
The latest rocket launches came amid an escalation in violence along the Gaza border that began after the IAF foiled a major terror attack, killing the secretary general of the Popular Resistance Committees, Zuhair Qaisi in a bombing on Friday.
At least four rockets were fired towards Ashkelon Sunday evening. The Iron Dome defense battery deployed near the city intercepted one rocket, while the other three landed near the city in open fields. No damages or injuries were caused in the attacks.
Earlier, a rocket fired towards Ofakim - a small city about halfway between Beersheba and the Gaza Strip - also landed in an open area causing no damage or injuries.
At least five rockets landed in the Eshkol Regional Council, which abuts the Gaza Strip and includes a number of small communities. The rockets landed in open fields. No casualties resulted from those attacks.
The Home Front command along with the heads of a number of local authorities in Israel’s south gave the order on Sunday night to cancel school in all towns and cities located between 7km to 40km from the Gaza Strip for the second day in a row.
The ban applies to the cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beersheba, Netivot, Sderot, Kiryat Malachi, Gadera, Rahat, Yavneh, Lakiyeh, and the Gan Yavneh Regional Council.
Schools in the western Negev that are closer than 7km to the Gaza Strip will hold class as usual, as they have the necessary reinforcement to protect against the incoming rockets, the Home Front Command said Saturday.
Sapir College in Sderet will stay open for classes on Monday despite the ongoing rocket attacks threatening southern Israel.
A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip hit a school in Beersheba on Sunday, exploding in its courtyard and damaging its outer walls. A second rocket slammed into the middle of a residential neighborhood in the city, damaging 15 homes and causing several residents to suffer shock.
"This is the first strike inside a city since the beginning of the current escalation," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said of the attack.
Magen David Adom paramedics were on the scene, treating Beersheba residents for trauma and shock.
On Sunday, 40 rockets were fired into Israel and 14 were intercepted by the Iron Dome counter rocket defense system. A fourth battery will be deployed in the coming weeks. IDF sources said that around 160 rockets have been fired into Israel since the beginning of the violence on Friday afternoon.
Yaakov Katz, Ben Hartman and Yaakov Lappin contributed to this report.
The latest rocket launches came amid an escalation in violence along the Gaza border that began after the IAF foiled a major terror attack, killing the secretary general of the Popular Resistance Committees, Zuhair Qaisi in a bombing on Friday.
At least four rockets were fired towards Ashkelon Sunday evening. The Iron Dome defense battery deployed near the city intercepted one rocket, while the other three landed near the city in open fields. No damages or injuries were caused in the attacks.
Earlier, a rocket fired towards Ofakim - a small city about halfway between Beersheba and the Gaza Strip - also landed in an open area causing no damage or injuries.
At least five rockets landed in the Eshkol Regional Council, which abuts the Gaza Strip and includes a number of small communities. The rockets landed in open fields. No casualties resulted from those attacks.
The Home Front command along with the heads of a number of local authorities in Israel’s south gave the order on Sunday night to cancel school in all towns and cities located between 7km to 40km from the Gaza Strip for the second day in a row.
The ban applies to the cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beersheba, Netivot, Sderot, Kiryat Malachi, Gadera, Rahat, Yavneh, Lakiyeh, and the Gan Yavneh Regional Council.
Schools in the western Negev that are closer than 7km to the Gaza Strip will hold class as usual, as they have the necessary reinforcement to protect against the incoming rockets, the Home Front Command said Saturday.
Sapir College in Sderet will stay open for classes on Monday despite the ongoing rocket attacks threatening southern Israel.
A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip hit a school in Beersheba on Sunday, exploding in its courtyard and damaging its outer walls. A second rocket slammed into the middle of a residential neighborhood in the city, damaging 15 homes and causing several residents to suffer shock.
"This is the first strike inside a city since the beginning of the current escalation," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said of the attack.
Magen David Adom paramedics were on the scene, treating Beersheba residents for trauma and shock.
On Sunday, 40 rockets were fired into Israel and 14 were intercepted by the Iron Dome counter rocket defense system. A fourth battery will be deployed in the coming weeks. IDF sources said that around 160 rockets have been fired into Israel since the beginning of the violence on Friday afternoon.
Yaakov Katz, Ben Hartman and Yaakov Lappin contributed to this report.
PM Netanyahu to Cabinet on situation in south
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Dal sito del Ministero degli Affari Esteri Israeliani
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PM Netanyahu to Cabinet on situation in south: "Last Friday, an arch-terrorist who organized many attacks against the State of Israel was eliminated." IDF Spokesperson
Zuhir Kaisi, born in 1963, from Gaza City, was the head of the Popular Resistance Committee terror organization and was also its political commander. Kaisi was among the leaders who planned, funded, and directed the combined terror attack that took place on Route 12 in August 2011, in which 40 people were wounded. Kaisi was also involved in rocket fire at Israel, as well as in the attack on the Nahal Oz fuel terminal in April 2008, in which two Israeli citizens were killed. In addition, Kaisi was in charge of transferring funds from Hizbullah to terror organizations in the Gaza Strip. Following the strike, terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip launched a rocket and mortar barrage directly targeting Israeli civilians. The barrage is currently ongoing. On Friday night, IAF aircraft targeted two weapon manufactoring facilities and two rocker launching sites in the nothern Gaza Strip, a weapon manufactoring sites in the central Gaza Strip and a terror activity sites in the southern Gaza Strip. The targeting was in direct response to the rockets fired at Israeli southern communities. In addition IAF aircraft targeted a terrorist in the central Gaza Strip and six addtional terrorist squads who were in the final stages of preparing to fire rockets at Israel from separate locations in the nothern and central Gaza Stirp. On March 10, in response of the ongoing rocket fire at Israel, IAF aircraft targeted two terror activity sites in the northern and southern Gaza Strip, and a weapon storage facility in the northern Gaza Strip. On Sunday morning (March 11), IAF aircraft targeted a terrorist at a rocket launching site in the northern Gaza Strip from which two rockets were fired at the city of Ashdod a short time beforehand, and later targeted a terrorist, moments before he was to fire a Grad rocket at the city of Ashdod. | ||||||||||||||||
Gaza rockets strike residential neighborhood in Be'er Sheva
Gaza rockets strike residential neighborhood in Be'er Sheva
Rockets strike main urban area in Israel for first time since escalation began on Friday; Iron Dome has intercepted more than 30 rockets.
By Gili Cohen , Avi Issacharoff and Yanir YagnaTags: GazaGaza rocketsHamasIslamic JihadIDFIron Dome
Two Grad rockets struck Be'er Sheva on Sunday afternoon, one hitting a school that was empty at the time and the other striking a parked car in a residential neighborhood. Homes were damaged and one person was reported to be in shock.
This marked the first time since the most recent round of escalation began in Israel's south on Friday that rockets succeeded in reaching a main urban area in Israel.
 | Remants of rocket that fell in Be'er Sheva, March 11, 2012. |
| Photo by: Eliyahu Hershkovitz |
The Iron Dome system has intercepted more than 30 rockets since Friday. More than 90 rockets have fallen in Israeli territory during that time. The Iron Dome is designed to only intercept rockets identified as heading toward populated areas.
Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel has struck a strong blow against terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip over the past several days.
"We have collected a high price from them and we are still collecting," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting. "We will continue to operate as long as it is necessary."
Summary of Overnight Events
Summary of Overnight Events
Overnight, IAF aircraft targeted a terrorist squad that was in the final stages of preparing to fire rockets at Israel from the northern Gaza Strip.
In addition, a short while ago, IAF aircraft targeted two rocket launching sites, in the northern Gaza Strip, used by terror organizations to fire medium-range rockets into Israel (over 40 kilometers).
Direct hits were identified.
The IDF is prepared to defend the residents of Israel and will respond with strength and determination against any attempt to execute terrorist attacks. Hamas uses other terror organizations to carry out terror attacks against the State of Israel and will bear the consequences of these actions in any future operation embarked upon by the IDF in order to eliminate the terror threat and restore the relative calm to the area.
For real time information follow @idfspokesperson on Twitter, or subscribe to the IDF Facebook page.
All new information can be found in the updating post: Israel Under Fire: More Than 130 Rockets Fired From Gaza at Israel
Friday, March 9, 2012
From the speech of President Peres
Peres says US, Israel agree on action against Iran
By Screencap
03/09/2012 11:11
By Screencap
President Shimon Peres dismissed any notion of disagreement between Washington and Jerusalem on Thursday over how to handle the Iranian nuclear issue, the Los Angeles Jewish Journal reported.
Speaking to a large audience in a Beverly Hills hotel at the start of his four-day visit to the southern California city, Peres said “While everybody is looking for differences, the basis is common and agreed."
His comments came following high profile meetings last weekend between the president and US President Barack Obama, who also met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Speaking to over 1,000 Jews who had gathered at the Beverly Hilton, Peres threw his support behind Western sanction on Iran, meant to pressure the Islamic Republic to abandon its nuclear path.
“If we have to choose, let’s start with the nonviolent, [with] no war beginning, but saying very clearly that all other options are on the table," he said according to the Jewish Journal.
US Secretary of State reiterated Thursday the US's desire to let sanctions on Iran run their course, saying the current economic measures against Tehran are the "toughest ever."
Speaking following his five-day trip to Canada and the United States, Netanyahu told Channel 2 news in excerpts from an interviews aired Thursday that an attack on Iran "is not a matter of days or weeks. It is also not a matter of years."
"The result has to be that the threat of a nuclear weapon in Iran’s hands is removed,” he said, adding that he hoped sanctions would be sufficient to dismantle Iran's nuclear program.
Speaking to a large audience in a Beverly Hills hotel at the start of his four-day visit to the southern California city, Peres said “While everybody is looking for differences, the basis is common and agreed."
His comments came following high profile meetings last weekend between the president and US President Barack Obama, who also met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Speaking to over 1,000 Jews who had gathered at the Beverly Hilton, Peres threw his support behind Western sanction on Iran, meant to pressure the Islamic Republic to abandon its nuclear path.
“If we have to choose, let’s start with the nonviolent, [with] no war beginning, but saying very clearly that all other options are on the table," he said according to the Jewish Journal.
US Secretary of State reiterated Thursday the US's desire to let sanctions on Iran run their course, saying the current economic measures against Tehran are the "toughest ever."
Speaking following his five-day trip to Canada and the United States, Netanyahu told Channel 2 news in excerpts from an interviews aired Thursday that an attack on Iran "is not a matter of days or weeks. It is also not a matter of years."
"The result has to be that the threat of a nuclear weapon in Iran’s hands is removed,” he said, adding that he hoped sanctions would be sufficient to dismantle Iran's nuclear program.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Dal sito Al Jazeera
| Netanyahu: Israel to make its own decisions |
Israeli prime minister tells US president that his country reserves the right to act unilaterally against Iran.
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Netanyahu said that Israel reserved the 'sovereign right' to act against Iran [EPA]
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| Israel "reserves the right" to act unilaterally against Iran's nuclear programme, Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu told US president Barack Obama on Monday. The two leaders are meeting at the White House for talks that could subdue - or amplify - the growing calls for war with Iran. Both said little in their brief public statements delivered before a longer private meeting, where aides say Netanyahu will push the US government to take a more aggressive stance on Iran's nuclear programme. There has been widespread speculation, in the press and in public statements by Israeli officials, that Israel could attack Iran this summer. The Obama administration has not said whether it would support such a move, and in recent weeks has said it sees no evidence that Iran is building a nuclear weapon. In his statement, Obama largely echoed points he made on Sunday night in an address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the powerful pro-Israel lobbying group. He said that America "reserves all options" regarding Iran's nuclear programme, but wanted more time to pursue diplomacy. "I know that both the prime minister and I prefer to resolve this diplomatically," he said. "We understand the costs of military action." Netanyahu left the door open to unilateral military action, saying that Israel reserves the "sovereign right" to "defend itself, by itself." Their meeting comes against the backdrop of AIPAC's annual conference; the group's members will fan out across Capitol Hill this week to pressure legislators in the leadup to this year's elections. No 'policy of containment' In his remarks on Monday, and his speech the night before, Obama urged Israel to allow time for sanctions against Iran to work, but promised to leave "all options on the table." "Iran's leaders should understand that I do not have a policy of containment," he said in the AIPAC speech. "I have a policy to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon." Netanyahu's government, and AIPAC's leadership, wanted Obama to go further. The Israeli prime minister wants Obama to lay down "red lines" - a clear statement of when the United States would attack Iran over its nuclear programme. Netanyahu is scheduled to deliver his own speech to the AIPAC conference on Monday night. AIPAC, meanwhile, is circulating flyers which describe an Iran with even the capability to build nuclear weapons as "unacceptable." Any country with a well-developed peaceful nuclear programme has a degree of "breakout capacity," the ability to quickly build a nuclear device. AIPAC's position, which is shared by many in Netanyahu's inner circle, would call for a strike on Iran once its nuclear programme reached a certain point, even if the Iranian leadership was not actively building a nuclear weapon. James Clapper, the US director of national intelligence, testified before Congress in January that he believed Iran had not yet decided whether or not to build a bomb. International negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme have been stalled for more than a year, but the Iranian government abruptly announced last month that it would be willing to resume talks without any preconditions. Israeli officials want Iran to completely suspend its uranium enrichment programme before the West resumes negotiations. But the White House has apparently rejected that demand, which Iran would almost certainly refuse; Obama told AIPAC he still believed a diplomatic solution was possible. 'Dating teenagers' The Obama-Netanyahu meeting has been the subject of intense speculation in the Israeli and American press. Yediot Aharonot called it "Netanyahu's moment of truth," forcing the Israeli prime minister to decide whether to support Obama or "collide" with him. The Jerusalem Post likened the two world leaders to courting teenagers, "sending messages to each other through emissaries before their big rendezvous." Gideon Levy, a columnist for the liberal newspaper Ha'aretz, argued that Netanyahu's aggressive lobbying on Iran could eventually undercut US support for Israel. "Netanyahu's Israel has dictated the global agenda as no small state has ever done before, just as its international standing is at its nadir and its dependence on the United States at a zenith," he wrote. Obama sought to tone down some of that speculation during his AIPAC speech; Netanyahu, too, has reportedly instructed his aides to stop talking to the press about Iran. "Already there is too much loose talk of war," Obama said. "For the sake of Israel's security, America's security, and the peace and security of the world, now is not the time for bluster." The Iranian nuclear programme has also become an election-year issue in the United States, where all of the Republican presidential candidates have been sharply critical of Obama's approach to Iran. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, the front-runner in the Republican primary race, told an audience shortly after the president's speech that "if Barack Obama is re-elected, Iran will have a nuclear weapon." Three of the Republican candidates - Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum - will address the AIPAC conference on Tuesday. |
Source:
Al Jazeera
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Da Haaretz.com
Lieberman: Israel's interests come first in dealing with Iran threat
Israel's foreign minister tells Israel Radio that Jerusalem did not 'dictate anything' to the United States.
By Barak Ravid and AgenciesTags: Avigdor LiebermanBenjamin NetanyahuBarack ObamaIran nuclearAIPAC
US. pressure would not affect Israeli thinking on how to cope with the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Sunday.
Asked about comments made last week by U.S. President Barack Obama, who said that he was "not bluffing" about attacking Iran if it were to build a nuclear weapon, Lieberman told Israel Radio that Jerusalem did not "dictate anything" to the United States.
"It is definitely important to discuss the issue in the appropriate forums and make decisions quietly and responsibly. All this chatter does not help anybody," Lieberman said.
Asked what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should tell Obama - when the two leaders meet on Monday in Washington - to ensure that Israel is not left alone to deal with the Iranian threat, Lieberman said the sides would exchange opinions but ultimately Israel would act in its own interests.
"President Obama definitely doesn't need our advice," the foreign minister said. "We are an independent sovereign state, and at the end of the day, the State of Israel will make the most correct decisions as we understand them."
If the international community was incapable of stopping the bloodshed in Syria, it made him wonder how much worth foreign promises to guarantee Israel's security were, Lieberman added.
"We will do what it takes to preserve Israel's qualitative military edge - because Israel must always have the ability to defend itself, by itself, against any threat," Obama told the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Sunday.
Obama said in his speech that a nuclear Iran would run "counter to the national security interests" of the United States as well as Israel, and that he would not hesitate to use force to defend American interests.
Obama criticized recent public speculation about the possibility of military action against Iran.
 | Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman |
| Photo by: Archive |
"It is definitely important to discuss the issue in the appropriate forums and make decisions quietly and responsibly. All this chatter does not help anybody," Lieberman said.
Asked what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should tell Obama - when the two leaders meet on Monday in Washington - to ensure that Israel is not left alone to deal with the Iranian threat, Lieberman said the sides would exchange opinions but ultimately Israel would act in its own interests.
"President Obama definitely doesn't need our advice," the foreign minister said. "We are an independent sovereign state, and at the end of the day, the State of Israel will make the most correct decisions as we understand them."
If the international community was incapable of stopping the bloodshed in Syria, it made him wonder how much worth foreign promises to guarantee Israel's security were, Lieberman added.
"We will do what it takes to preserve Israel's qualitative military edge - because Israel must always have the ability to defend itself, by itself, against any threat," Obama told the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Sunday.
Obama said in his speech that a nuclear Iran would run "counter to the national security interests" of the United States as well as Israel, and that he would not hesitate to use force to defend American interests.
Obama criticized recent public speculation about the possibility of military action against Iran.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
dal The Guardian: ancora su Obama
Barack Obama tells Israel conference: 'too much loose talk of war'
In address to Aipac, president says world has responsibility to discourage Tehran from pursuing nuclear weapon
Barack Obama delivers a speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee annual policy conference in Washington. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Barack Obama has admonished Israel for "too much loose talk of war" with Iran and said the world has a responsibility to give sanctions an opportunity to discourage Tehran from pursuing a nuclear weapon.
Speaking ahead of a meeting on Monday with the Israel prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, Obama sought to head off pressure for him to commit to military action against Tehran if it crosses specified "red lines" in its nuclear programme.
The president told a sceptical audience at the annual conference of the US's most influential pro-Israel lobby group that he accepts a "basic truth" that no Israeli government can tolerate Iran developing a nuclear weapon and that he therefore understands the "profound historical obligation" weighing on the shoulders of Israel's leaders.
Obama said explicitly that he is prepared to use force against Iran to defend US interests if necessary but he chastised those who appear to be in a hurry for war in comments apparently aimed at belligerent noises from Israeli officials.
"I would ask that we all remember the weightiness of these issues; the stakes involved for Israel, for America, and for the world. Already, there is too much loose talk of war," he told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) . "Over the last few weeks, such talk has only benefited the Iranian government, by driving up the price of oil, which they depend upon to fund their nuclear programme. For the sake of Israel's security, America's security, and the peace and security of the world, now is not the time for bluster; now is the time to let our increased pressure sink in, and to sustain the broad international coalition that we have built.
"Now is the time to heed that timeless advice from Teddy Roosevelt: speak softly, but carry a big stick."
Obama pleased Aipac delegates by saying he would not pursue a policy of "containment" of an Iran with a nuclear weapon - a commitment the pro-Israel lobby has been pressing through support of resolutions in Congress. He also said that he "will take no option off the table" and that includes "a military effort to be prepared for any contingency".
"I will not hesitate to use force when it is necessary to defend the United States and its interests," he said.
But Netanyahu wants Obama to go further and commit to the use of force if Iran crosses agreed "red lines" in the development of its nuclear programme.
Netanyahu warned on Friday that the international community should not fall in to the "trap" of negotiating while Iran continues its "relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons". He said that the international community should demand the immediate dismantling of Iran's underground nuclear facility in Qom and that it halt uranium enrichment.
Netanyahu is to address Aipac after his meeting with Obama. But Israel's president, Shimon Peres, pressed the point when he told the conference on Sunday that Iran is an evil and corrupt regime that is "an affront to human dignity".
"It must be stopped, and it will be stopped," he said. "If we are forced to fight, trust me, we shall prevail."
White House officials have made clear that the president will not set the "red lines" wanted by Netanyahu out of concern it will be interpreted by the Israelis as a tacit endorsement of an attack if Iran fails to meet the demands. Obama is instead expected to repeat in private to Netanyahu what he has said in public – that there is time for sanctions and diplomacy to work.
"I firmly believe that an opportunity remains for diplomacy – backed by pressure – to succeed. The United States and Israel both assess that Iran does not yet have a nuclear weapon, and we are exceedingly vigilant in monitoring their programme. Now, the international community has a responsibility to use the time and space that exists," he said to virtual silence from the Aipac delegates. "Iran's leaders still have the opportunity to make the right decision. They can choose a path that brings them back into the community of nations, or they can continue down a dead end.
"Given their history, there are of course no guarantees that the Iranian regime will make the right choice. But both Israel and the United States have an interest in seeing this challenge resolved diplomatically. After all, the only way to truly solve this problem is for the Iranian government to make a decision to forsake nuclear weapons. That's what history tells us."
Obama went on to say that the experience of sending Americans to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan has left him in no hurry for a war in Iran.
"As president and commander-in-chief, I have a deeply-held preference for peace over war. I have sent men and women into harm's way," he said. "For this reason, as part of my solemn obligation to the American people, I will only use force when the time and circumstances demand it. And I know that Israeli leaders also know all too well the costs and consequences of war, even as they recognise their obligation to defend their country."
Like every other president of recent times, Obama restated to Aipac the "unbreakable bonds" between the US and Israel and his own commitment to the Jewish state. But he sounded unusually defensive in the face of Republican accusations that he is endangering Israel's security with his Iran policy and that he has been "anti-Israel" by pressing Netanyahu to take peace negotiations with the Palestinians seriously, beginning with a halt to continued construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories.
"As you examine my commitment, you don't just have to count on my words. You can look at my deeds. Because over the last three years, as president of the United States, I have kept my commitments to the state of Israel. At every crucial juncture, at every fork in the road‚ we have been there for Israel. Every single time," he said.
Speaking ahead of a meeting on Monday with the Israel prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, Obama sought to head off pressure for him to commit to military action against Tehran if it crosses specified "red lines" in its nuclear programme.
The president told a sceptical audience at the annual conference of the US's most influential pro-Israel lobby group that he accepts a "basic truth" that no Israeli government can tolerate Iran developing a nuclear weapon and that he therefore understands the "profound historical obligation" weighing on the shoulders of Israel's leaders.
Obama said explicitly that he is prepared to use force against Iran to defend US interests if necessary but he chastised those who appear to be in a hurry for war in comments apparently aimed at belligerent noises from Israeli officials.
"I would ask that we all remember the weightiness of these issues; the stakes involved for Israel, for America, and for the world. Already, there is too much loose talk of war," he told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) . "Over the last few weeks, such talk has only benefited the Iranian government, by driving up the price of oil, which they depend upon to fund their nuclear programme. For the sake of Israel's security, America's security, and the peace and security of the world, now is not the time for bluster; now is the time to let our increased pressure sink in, and to sustain the broad international coalition that we have built.
"Now is the time to heed that timeless advice from Teddy Roosevelt: speak softly, but carry a big stick."
Obama pleased Aipac delegates by saying he would not pursue a policy of "containment" of an Iran with a nuclear weapon - a commitment the pro-Israel lobby has been pressing through support of resolutions in Congress. He also said that he "will take no option off the table" and that includes "a military effort to be prepared for any contingency".
"I will not hesitate to use force when it is necessary to defend the United States and its interests," he said.
But Netanyahu wants Obama to go further and commit to the use of force if Iran crosses agreed "red lines" in the development of its nuclear programme.
Netanyahu warned on Friday that the international community should not fall in to the "trap" of negotiating while Iran continues its "relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons". He said that the international community should demand the immediate dismantling of Iran's underground nuclear facility in Qom and that it halt uranium enrichment.
Netanyahu is to address Aipac after his meeting with Obama. But Israel's president, Shimon Peres, pressed the point when he told the conference on Sunday that Iran is an evil and corrupt regime that is "an affront to human dignity".
"It must be stopped, and it will be stopped," he said. "If we are forced to fight, trust me, we shall prevail."
White House officials have made clear that the president will not set the "red lines" wanted by Netanyahu out of concern it will be interpreted by the Israelis as a tacit endorsement of an attack if Iran fails to meet the demands. Obama is instead expected to repeat in private to Netanyahu what he has said in public – that there is time for sanctions and diplomacy to work.
"I firmly believe that an opportunity remains for diplomacy – backed by pressure – to succeed. The United States and Israel both assess that Iran does not yet have a nuclear weapon, and we are exceedingly vigilant in monitoring their programme. Now, the international community has a responsibility to use the time and space that exists," he said to virtual silence from the Aipac delegates. "Iran's leaders still have the opportunity to make the right decision. They can choose a path that brings them back into the community of nations, or they can continue down a dead end.
"Given their history, there are of course no guarantees that the Iranian regime will make the right choice. But both Israel and the United States have an interest in seeing this challenge resolved diplomatically. After all, the only way to truly solve this problem is for the Iranian government to make a decision to forsake nuclear weapons. That's what history tells us."
Obama went on to say that the experience of sending Americans to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan has left him in no hurry for a war in Iran.
"As president and commander-in-chief, I have a deeply-held preference for peace over war. I have sent men and women into harm's way," he said. "For this reason, as part of my solemn obligation to the American people, I will only use force when the time and circumstances demand it. And I know that Israeli leaders also know all too well the costs and consequences of war, even as they recognise their obligation to defend their country."
Like every other president of recent times, Obama restated to Aipac the "unbreakable bonds" between the US and Israel and his own commitment to the Jewish state. But he sounded unusually defensive in the face of Republican accusations that he is endangering Israel's security with his Iran policy and that he has been "anti-Israel" by pressing Netanyahu to take peace negotiations with the Palestinians seriously, beginning with a halt to continued construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories.
"As you examine my commitment, you don't just have to count on my words. You can look at my deeds. Because over the last three years, as president of the United States, I have kept my commitments to the state of Israel. At every crucial juncture, at every fork in the road‚ we have been there for Israel. Every single time," he said.
Obama: Israel can't tolerate nuclear
Iran
Obama further said that a nuclear-armed Iran is completely counter to both Israel and United States' security interests and announced that the US would use "all elements of American power to pressure Iran and prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon." (Ynet)
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"No Israeli government can tolerate a nuclear weapon in the hands of a regime
that denies the Holocaust and threatens to wipe Israel off the map," said US
President Barack Obama at the AIPAC Conference in Washington Sunday.
Obama further said that a nuclear-armed Iran is completely counter to both Israel and United States' security interests and announced that the US would use "all elements of American power to pressure Iran and prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon." (Ynet)
From Israel MFA the speech of President Shimon Peres
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“Toda” “Thank You”. Thank you President Obama, for being such a good friend. Thank you AIPAC, for your dedication and excellence. It is great to be here. To be together. Strong and united. I see old friends and new ones. I see many young faces. The future belongs to you. Israel loves you. I am moved by your generous tribute. I stand here, before you, a hopeful man. Proud to be Jewish, Proud to be Israeli, Proud to be there at the birth of Israel, Proud to have served it for 65 years, proud of our alliance with the United States. Israel, like America, was conceived as an idea, born in defiance of history; creating a new world by drawing on the values of the past and the innovations of the future. Friends, The restoration of Jewish statehood after two thousand years in exile - is a historic miracle. We started as a doubt and wound up as a certainty. We had to fight six wars in six decades. We did not lose one. We never will. We cannot afford it. We had to defend ourselves. Self-defense is our right and obligation. With little land, water or resources, Israel grew tenfold in population. Fifty-fold in gross domestic product. Israel’s high-tech and innovation enriches the world its agriculture makes deserts green. Israel built new villages, new cities, new universities, new theatres and cultural centers. Our children are speaking the language of the prophets. Hebrew literature is flourishing. From a dispersed people we became a united democracy. No day of war ever interrupted a day of democracy. Dear Friends, Permit me a personal note. Fate placed me in the eye of the storm. I was eleven years old when my beloved grandfather, Rabbi Tzvi Melzer, accompanied me to the train-station on my way to Israel. He hugged me and whispered in my ear only three words, “Shimon…. stay Jewish.” Those were his last words to me. I never saw him again. In 1942, when the Nazis arrived to his village, they forced my Grandfather, together with the remaining Jews into the wooden synagogue and set it on fire. No one survived.Not one. What remained was my Grandfather’s legacy. His last words to me: “Stay Jewish.” Dear Friends, I was privileged to work with the father of our nation, my mentor, David Ben-Gurion. For me, Ben Gurion's great leadership with my Grandfather's legacy became my compass. That compass is comprised of four core values: Our moral code. Our pursuit of peace and security. Our quest for knowledge. Our alliance with America. The moral code, the return to the Book and its values, enabled the Jewish people to survive, for four thousand years. NOT because of quantity - because of quality. Not due to thousands of guns – but due to Ten Commandments. We are guided by the call of our Prophets, to me it means: To be just. To do justice. To never deny justice to others. Dear Friends, The pursuit of peace, for us, is not a passing opportunity it is a moral imperative. It is the tenet of our national security. To make peace, Israel must be strong. Let me assure you, Israel is strong. Dear Friends, The Middle East is undergoing its greatest storm. With horrible bloodshed in Syria, where a tyrant is killing his people, killing children. I admire the courage of the Syrian people. We wish them peace and freedom. In spite of the storm, we have to reach out to the young generation in the Arab world, to those who strive for freedom, democracy and peace. The Palestinians are our neighbors for life. Peace can and must be achieved. A peace based on: - A Two State Solution- A Jewish state - Israel, an Arab state - Palestine. It was accepted by past and present Israeli Prime ministers and American presidents: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The principle of the Two State Solution is a paramount Israeli interest. We want to preserve an Israel that is Jewish, democratic and attractive. I meet from time to time with President Abbas and PM Fayyad. They need and want peace. I believe that peace is possible. They are our partners for peace. Not Hamas. A peace that is a dream for both of us, is a nightmare for the Ayatollahs in Iran. Iran is an evil, cruel, morally corrupt regime. It is based on destruction. and is an affront to human dignity. Iran is the center, the sponsor, the financier of world terror. Iran is a danger to the entire world. It threatens Berlin as well as Madrid, Delhi as well as Bangkok. Not just Israel. Iran’s ambition is to control the Middle East, so it can control a major part of the world’s economy. It must be stopped. And it will be stopped. Israel experienced the horrors of war. It does not seek it. Peace is always our first option, but, if we are forced to fight, trust me…. we shall prevail. President Obama is leading and implementing, an international complex and decisive policy, imposing economic and political sanctions against Iran. President Obama made it clear that the US will not permit Iran to become nuclear. That containment is not a sustainable policy; all options are on the table. The United States and Israel share the same goal - to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. There is NO space between us. Our message is clear: Iran will not develop a nuclear weapon. Ladies and Gentlemen, The quest for knowledge defines Jewish history. Judaism is a constant debate. It is about asking the right questions. It is about being a liberal and pluralistic society. I believe Jews are never satisfied because they are always seeking new answers. A better tomorrow, Tikun Olam. I believe that the next decade will be the most scientific, the most dramatic chapter in human history. It will expose possibilities that today sound like science fiction. Its center will be brain research. The more we shall know about ourselves, the more we shall be able to control ourselves. In a global world without a global government, self-control is vital. Friends, In a world of science and knowledge, the Jewish people and Israel have an exciting role to play. Much to contribute. Ladies and Gentlemen, members of Congress, America was, is, and will remain the indispensable leader of the free world. The indispensable friend of our people. Today more than ever, the world needs America. I have had the privilege to meet all American Presidents in the last fifty years, Democrats and Republicans. I was strongly impressed by their deep commitment. Their care for Israel. That commitment was and is bipartisan. Mr. President, Members of the administration, members of congress on both sides of the aisle: we are forever grateful for your unwavering support of the unbreakable alliance between the US and Israel. I first met President Barack Obama, our great friend, when he was a Senator from Illinois. I saw before me a born leader. His care and devotion to Israel's security were evident. Mr. President, I know your commitment to Israel is deep and profound. Under your leadership, security cooperation between the US and Israel has reached its highest level. Ladies and Gentlemen, We have a friend in the White House. He reflects the values that make America great and make Israel secure. Thank you President Obama on behalf of my people. Soon I will return home. Great challenges and promising opportunities await us. Thanks to your love and commitment and America’s great friendship. I return home, much more hopeful, much more encouraged. Thank you very much, God Bless America, God Bless Israel. Shalom. | ||||||||||||||||
The Tweets of President Peres
Tweet
#Peace can and must be achieved with them. A peace based on a two-state Solution: A Jewish state - #Israel, An Arab state - #Palestine.
PresidentPeres
He reflects the values that make America great and make #Israel secure. Thank you President Obama on behalf of my people.
His care and devotion to #Israel's security was evident. Mr. President, I know your commitment to Israel is deep and profound.
We are forever grateful to you for your unwavering support, your unbreakable alliance between the United States and #Israel. #PeresInUS
Today more than ever, The world needs America. #PeresinUS
America was, is, and will remain the indispensable leader of the free world. The indispensable friend of our poeple.
Peace is always our first option, but, if we are forced to fight, trust me, we shall prevail. #Israel
A peace that is a dream for both of us, is a nightmare for the Ayatollahs in #Iran. Iran is an evil, cruel, morally corrupt regime.
Principle of the two state' solution is a paramount Israeli interest. We want to preserve an Israel that is Jewish, democratic & attractive.
In spite of the storm, we have to reach out to the young generation in the Arab world, to those who strive for freedom, democracy & peace.
I admire the courage of the Syrian people. We wish them peace and freedom. #Syria
To make peace, #Israel must be strong. Let me assure you, Israel is strong.
The pursuit of #peace…is not a passing opportunity it is a moral imperative. It is the tenet of our national security.
Our moral code. Our pursuit of #peace and security. Our quest for knowledge. Our alliance with United States of America. #PeresinUS
Ben Gurion's great leadership with my Grandfather's legacy became my compass. That compass is comprised of four core values:
We can not afford it. We had to defend ourselves. Self-defense is our right and obligation. #AIPAC2012
We started as a doubt and wound up as a certainty....We had to fight six wars in six decades. We did not lose one. We never will.
The restoration of Jewish statehood after two thousand years in exile - is a historic miracle.
Proud to have served my country for 65 years, Proud of our alliance with the United States of America. #PeresInUS
I stand here…as a hopeful man. Proud to be Jewish, Proud to be Israeli, Proud to be there at the birth of #Israel,
I see old friends and new ones. I see many young faces. The future belongs to you. #Israel loves you. #PeresInUS
As The President of the State of #Israel, first and foremost, I say on behalf of my people: 'Toda raba.' #AIPAC2012
קהל של 14000 באיפא״ק צופה בסרט מיוחד שהופק עבור האירוע על כבוד הנשיא לפני עלייתו לבמה לנאום.
שלום חברים, הכנסו ללשונית "פרס מגיע לאייפאק" וצפו בשידור חי בנאום הנשיא בפתיחת וועידת אייפאק בוושינגטון. השידור... http://fb.me/1R4tqUvjm
I look forward to addressing #AIPAC with Pres. Obama tomorrow to celebrate the deep friendship our two nations share. #PeresInUS
אני מחבק את כולכם חזרה, אני עכשיו בדרכי לוושינגטון ברכבת מניו יורק. הנוף גשום, המצב רוח מעולה וגעגועים לארץ. שבת שלום. http://fb.me/LjRvbnr4
לתמונות נוספות והצצה אל מאחורי הקלעים של ביקור הנשיא בארה"ב, עקבו אחר ערוץ האינסטגרם הרשמי של הנשיא shimonperes@.... http://fb.me/1uuUC76Sz
לתמונות נוספות והצצה אל מאחורי הקלעים של ביקור הנשיא בארה"ב, עקבו אחר ערוץ האינסטגרם הרשמי של הנשיא @shimonperes.... http://fb.me/RwmTmg0I
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