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Israel Applauds Watered-Down Iran Nuclear Sanctions
(Christian Science Monitor) Joshua Mitnick - Israel is applauding the U.S. push for a fourth round of Iran nuclear sanctions, despite deep-seated concern that the process of diplomatic engagement and then sanctions against Tehran won't stop it from making a weapon. To be sure, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't believe that the proposed UN Security Council sanctions go far enough toward forcing Iran to abandon its effort to acquire nuclear weapons. But Israel is clinging to the hope that individual countries will in the future decide on stiffer punishments that may have a greater impact. "We always knew that a UN resolution would require international consensus and would be watered down without the teeth we hoped for. Nevertheless we support the resolution,'' said an Israeli government official. "It shows the international community united acting against the Iranian program. It's an important symbolic act.'' Nevertheless, Israel would have liked harsher sanctions to hurt Iran's energy export sector, said the Israeli official.