(Washington Post) Steve Hendrix - The Israeli government is urging the Biden administration to take a more aggressive approach toward Iran's nuclear program while seeking to avoid a confrontation with the White House. Of particular concern to Israel is an interim agreement that could require Tehran to limit its uranium processing in exchange for a partial lifting of sanctions. "The money the Iranians will receive will reach our doorstep in the form of terrorism and missiles," Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. If Israel deems that Iran is on the threshold of securing a usable nuclear weapon, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett - like former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before him - says he would be willing to take military action to derail the program. "On this question, I don't think it matters who is the prime minister," said Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, a former Israeli national security adviser. "I don't think there is a prime minister who would not take this step." "In the end, I don't think Israel can just let the pieces fall where they may if and when Iran crosses the nuclear threshold," said Chuck Freilich, a former Israeli deputy national security adviser who supported the 2015 agreement.
2021-12-20 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive