Bethel Finance: Israeli minister urges US to set deadline for action

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ISRAELI FINANCE minister Yuval Steinitz has called on Washington to set a deadline for military action against Iran if it continues to develop its nuclear capability.

Mr Steinitz spoke after the White House meeting between US president Barack Obama and Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and speeches by both leaders to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), a powerful pro-Israel lobby.

Mr Steinitz told Israel Radio that the point of no return was approaching. Washington had been saying for four years that all options were on the table vis-à-vis Iran, and Israel now wanted to hear a clearer message.

“We must set an ultimatum, a clear timetable to set down a deadline for the Iranians to fundamentally change their attitude. If they don’t do it, the Americans must say that they will impose an aerial and naval blockade on Iran . . . or they must decide to launch a military operation,” he said.

Israeli officials close to the talks expressed disappointment over the White House meeting, saying it was clear that differences remained between Jerusalem and Washington over timing and red lines in relation to a possible military strike against Tehran.

While Israel believes the diplomatic window of opportunity is rapidly closing, Mr Obama made it clear that time must be given for sanctions to work.

Israel suspects that electoral considerations are paramount for Mr Obama, who will not consider any military action before the November presidential vote.

Shaul Mofaz from the opposition Kadima party, the chairman of parliament’s foreign affairs and defence committee, said it was a mistake for Mr Netanyahu to frame Iran’s nuclear activities as an imminent existential threat to Israel. “Israel is not a ghetto and it should not act alone,” he said.

The leader of the left-wing opposition Meretz party, Zehava Gal-On, said Mr Netanyahu would pay a heavy price for wasting Mr Obama’s time.

“Obama wanted Netanyahu to explain how he would advance peace, but Netanyahu just wanted to hear when America would be willing to go to war or at least let Israel attack,” she said.

Labor Party Knesset member Daniel Ben Simon described Mr Netanyahu’s Aipac speech as “one of the most dangerous ever delivered by an Israeli prime minister”.

He criticised the comparison made between the reluctance to attack Iran and the decision by the Allies during the second World War not to bomb the rail tracks leading to Auschwitz.“The Israeli superpower of today cannot be compared to the Jewish people in 1942, before there was a state.”