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Obama and Netanyahu's New Red Line on Iran

(Ynet News) Ron Ben-Yishai - According to various reports, the American president and Israeli prime minister agreed on a new plan to block Iran's nuclear program, which calls for narrowing the gap between the Israeli and American red lines. Obama promised Netanyahu that if diplomatic efforts fail and the economic sanctions do not dissuade Iran from building an atomic bomb, the U.S. would act militarily to thwart these efforts. The American leader also gave Netanyahu the "yellow light" for a unilateral operation against Iran. The light will turn green should the Israeli government conclude, after consulting with Washington, that it must bomb Iran in order to defend itself. Israel's promise to consult with the U.S. prior to a go-it-alone attack will secure Washington's diplomatic, military and logistical support - even if the White House believes the time has not yet come for military action in Iran. During his meeting with Obama, Netanyahu clarified that Israel realizes the U.S. has superior capabilities which can delay or even destroy Iran's nuclear program - capabilities Israel does not have. Therefore, Israel prefers to wait for America to act on its own against Iran. Should Israel feel that it must act unilaterally, it wants to do so only after securing America's assistance.
2013-05-06 00:00:00
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