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Tel Aviv?The rift between the top U.S. and Israeli leaders appeared to widen Tuesday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leveled the sharpest attacks in years by an Israeli leader against Washington amid differences on how to address Iran's nuclear program.
Later in the day, the White House said that President Barack Obama wouldn't be meeting with Mr. Netanyahu later this month at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.
The rupture was the result of months of growing Israeli frustration with Mr. Obama's approach to Iran, in which he has stressed diplomacy and punitive sanctions. Mr. Netanyahu has exhorted the Obama administration in vain to set "red lines" that, if crossed, would trigger a U.S. military response.
In Jerusalem, Mr. Netanyahu said the Obama administration and other Western allies, by failing to set strict limits on Tehran, lack the moral authority to press Israel not to attack Iran.
"If Iran knows that there's no deadline, what will it do? Exactly what it's doing: It's continuing without any interference towards obtaining nuclear weapons capability and from there nuclear bombs,'' he said.
"The world tells Israel: Wait. There's still time. And I say: Wait for what? Wait until when? Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red light before Israel."
Administration officials publicly strained to say there no rift, but were barely able to conceal their rage over Mr. Netanyahu's words.
"We should ignore it," said a senior U.S. official concerning Mr. Netanyahu's comments. "It's ridiculous."
The blow-up is likely to lead to quick steps by both sides to patch over their differences. While declaring Mr. Obama wouldn't meet Mr. Netanyahu during the UN meeting in two weeks, for instance, the White said it was a matter of scheduling: The president will be in New York Sept. 24 and 25, while Mr. Netanyahu will arrive later that week, White House officials said.
Nonetheless, the falling out comes at a fragile moment for Mr. Obama, both in his re-election bid and in the international furor over Iran's nuclear program.
Some American officials believe Mr. Netanyahu's attacks on the White House's Iran policy were specifically designed to impact the upcoming U.S. presidential elections.
Among Israelis, some of Mr. Netanyahu's advisors have said in recent months that they believe a Mitt Romney administration would be more in step with the Israeli government on Iran's nuclear program and other issues. Mr. Romney has attacked Mr. Obama during the campaign as being too soft on Tehran and diminishing American support for the Jewish state.
Jewish-American voters could be crucial in deciding the election in swing states like Florida and historically have voted for the Democrats.
The rift poses risks for Mr. Netanyahu as well, as top Israeli politicians have criticized Mr. Netanyahu for his comments Tuesday.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said subjects like Iran should be discussed frankly, but behind closed doors. Opposition leader Shaul Mofaz was more biting, accusing Mr. Netanyahu of sticking his hand "too deep into the U.S. ballot box'' and expressed concern the prime minister was "sacrificing relations with Israel's closest strategic allies in the U.S. and Europe on the altar of stopping the Iranian nuclear program.''
Speaking in Washington Tuesday, the former chief of the Israeli armed forces, Dan Halutz, joined critics of Mr. Netanyahu's strategy.
"Red lines are red when they're drawn. The day after, the color changes," Gen. Halutz said. "To come to the U.S. and ask the elephant to put a red line to the ant makes no sense. When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk."
Mr. Romney remained silent on the issue through most of the day Tuesday. He spoke to the National Guard Association in Reno, Nev., but refused to sharply criticize the president on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. In recent remarks, Mr. Romney has assailed Mr. Obama both for pursuing diplomacy on Iran and for what Republicans say is inadequate support for Israel.
Still, Mr. Netanyahu's unusually blunt attack on the White House is not a blank check to Mr. Romney. By endorsing the Israeli leader's views, Mr. Romney could be forced to advocate a potential military confrontation with Iran before it has not been proven that Tehran has developed a nuclear weapon.
Iranian officials deny western charges that they are trying to develop the capacity to build nuclear bombs, but are trying to develop civilian nuclear energy. Mr. Obama has used a campaign of financial pressure and diplomacy to force Iran to open its nuclear program to international inspectors.
At a press conference with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Mr. Netanyahu said the U.S. policy of diplomatic pressure and sanctions hasn't worked, even though U.S. officials said this week that the measures should be given more time to work and refused to set a deadline.
Mr. Netanyahu's reproach of the U.S. recalled several open clashes with Mr. Obama from earlier in the president's term, but Israeli analysts said they could not recall a time when an Israeli prime minister attacked a president on such a politically sensitive issue in the heat of a reelection campaign..
"I disagree with this kind of diplomacy? It's exacerbating ties at a very sensitive time,'' said Eytan Gilboa, a professor of political science at Bar Ilan University who studies US Israel relations. "It's going to be interpreted as trying to intervene in the American election.''
Later in the day, the White House said that President Barack Obama wouldn't be meeting with Mr. Netanyahu later this month at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.
The rupture was the result of months of growing Israeli frustration with Mr. Obama's approach to Iran, in which he has stressed diplomacy and punitive sanctions. Mr. Netanyahu has exhorted the Obama administration in vain to set "red lines" that, if crossed, would trigger a U.S. military response.
In Jerusalem, Mr. Netanyahu said the Obama administration and other Western allies, by failing to set strict limits on Tehran, lack the moral authority to press Israel not to attack Iran.
"If Iran knows that there's no deadline, what will it do? Exactly what it's doing: It's continuing without any interference towards obtaining nuclear weapons capability and from there nuclear bombs,'' he said.
"The world tells Israel: Wait. There's still time. And I say: Wait for what? Wait until when? Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red light before Israel."
Administration officials publicly strained to say there no rift, but were barely able to conceal their rage over Mr. Netanyahu's words.
"We should ignore it," said a senior U.S. official concerning Mr. Netanyahu's comments. "It's ridiculous."
The blow-up is likely to lead to quick steps by both sides to patch over their differences. While declaring Mr. Obama wouldn't meet Mr. Netanyahu during the UN meeting in two weeks, for instance, the White said it was a matter of scheduling: The president will be in New York Sept. 24 and 25, while Mr. Netanyahu will arrive later that week, White House officials said.
Nonetheless, the falling out comes at a fragile moment for Mr. Obama, both in his re-election bid and in the international furor over Iran's nuclear program.
Some American officials believe Mr. Netanyahu's attacks on the White House's Iran policy were specifically designed to impact the upcoming U.S. presidential elections.
Among Israelis, some of Mr. Netanyahu's advisors have said in recent months that they believe a Mitt Romney administration would be more in step with the Israeli government on Iran's nuclear program and other issues. Mr. Romney has attacked Mr. Obama during the campaign as being too soft on Tehran and diminishing American support for the Jewish state.
Jewish-American voters could be crucial in deciding the election in swing states like Florida and historically have voted for the Democrats.
The rift poses risks for Mr. Netanyahu as well, as top Israeli politicians have criticized Mr. Netanyahu for his comments Tuesday.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said subjects like Iran should be discussed frankly, but behind closed doors. Opposition leader Shaul Mofaz was more biting, accusing Mr. Netanyahu of sticking his hand "too deep into the U.S. ballot box'' and expressed concern the prime minister was "sacrificing relations with Israel's closest strategic allies in the U.S. and Europe on the altar of stopping the Iranian nuclear program.''
Speaking in Washington Tuesday, the former chief of the Israeli armed forces, Dan Halutz, joined critics of Mr. Netanyahu's strategy.
"Red lines are red when they're drawn. The day after, the color changes," Gen. Halutz said. "To come to the U.S. and ask the elephant to put a red line to the ant makes no sense. When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk."
Mr. Romney remained silent on the issue through most of the day Tuesday. He spoke to the National Guard Association in Reno, Nev., but refused to sharply criticize the president on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. In recent remarks, Mr. Romney has assailed Mr. Obama both for pursuing diplomacy on Iran and for what Republicans say is inadequate support for Israel.
Still, Mr. Netanyahu's unusually blunt attack on the White House is not a blank check to Mr. Romney. By endorsing the Israeli leader's views, Mr. Romney could be forced to advocate a potential military confrontation with Iran before it has not been proven that Tehran has developed a nuclear weapon.
Iranian officials deny western charges that they are trying to develop the capacity to build nuclear bombs, but are trying to develop civilian nuclear energy. Mr. Obama has used a campaign of financial pressure and diplomacy to force Iran to open its nuclear program to international inspectors.
At a press conference with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Mr. Netanyahu said the U.S. policy of diplomatic pressure and sanctions hasn't worked, even though U.S. officials said this week that the measures should be given more time to work and refused to set a deadline.
Mr. Netanyahu's reproach of the U.S. recalled several open clashes with Mr. Obama from earlier in the president's term, but Israeli analysts said they could not recall a time when an Israeli prime minister attacked a president on such a politically sensitive issue in the heat of a reelection campaign..
"I disagree with this kind of diplomacy? It's exacerbating ties at a very sensitive time,'' said Eytan Gilboa, a professor of political science at Bar Ilan University who studies US Israel relations. "It's going to be interpreted as trying to intervene in the American election.''
![[SIL]](/data/avatars/m/71/71385.jpg?1646166172){kind=avatar}
..15tril in the red..another 5tril wont make a difference
