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U.S., Israel Divide on Iran Nuclear Program

[Wall Street Journal] Yochi J. Dreazen - Iran's apparent pursuit of a nuclear weapon is emerging as a major source of tension between the U.S. and Israel. On Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, on a visit to Israel, called for continued diplomatic engagement with Tehran. At a joint news conference with Gates, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak emphasized that Israel believed "no option should be removed from the table" when it came to Iran. Prime Minister Netanyahu said he told Gates "the seriousness to which Israel views Iran's nuclear ambitions and the need to utilize all available means to prevent Iran from achieving a nuclear-weapons capability." Later in Amman, Gates said Israeli officials told him they were willing to give the administration's diplomatic overtures more time to work before deciding whether to use force against Iran. "I have the sense that as long as the process isn't completely open-ended that the Israelis are prepared to let it go forward," he said. Israeli officials made clear they were unhappy with the administration's outreach to Tehran and that they wanted tougher measures. Barak said any negotiations with Iran should be "short in time and well-defined in objectives."
2009-07-29 06:00:00
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