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Last update - 03:28 14/08/2008 Diplomacy instead of belligerence By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Iran, Israel, UN  The warning conveyed by Washington to Israel not to attack Iran, and its demand of Jerusalem not to surprise it with such an attack, should not startle us. The Bush administration, which during its two terms in office used the threat of war as a main strategy for curbing Iran's nuclear capabilities, has recently adopted a new policy that does not correspond with Israel's belligerent declarations. The U.S. administration, which along with the four permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany has signed a package of incentives for Iran, is now willing at most to promote additional economic sanctions, and is playing down the military option. Tehran, which gave a vague answer to the offer of incentives and made it clear that it will not stop enriching uranium, is canvassing countries that are also liable to block the new proposal for sanctions when the time comes. Today Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to arrive on a working visit to Turkey. There he will sign, among other things, an agreement worth about $600 million for the joint development of gas fields in Iran and the supply of gas from Iran to Europe via Turkey. Advertisement Iranian negotiations with India and Pakistan over an oil pipeline are continuing; China is continuing to invest in Iran and buy tremendous amounts of oil from it; Europe, which is anxiously observing the developments in the Caucasus and is worried about a total dependence on oil from Russia, is likely to promote the Nabucco pipeline project, which is scheduled to transport gas from Iran via Turkey. Washington, which seeks to reach an agreement in the coming weeks about U.S. forces in Iraq, needs Iran as a security belt for quiet in Iraq. Added to all this are the economic agreements signed with Iraq by Switzerland and Germany. The sum of these economic and strategic interests changes the issue of the Iranian nuclear program from a casus belli to a dispute that must be solved by diplomatic means. Turkey, a strategic ally of Israel, is taking on a heavy responsibility in its attempt to mediate between Iran and the West, and it should not be condemned for this, especially at a time when Washington is willing to listen to new proposals. Israel, which justifiably sees the threat presented by Iran, is liable to find itself in an inferior position in the face of European countries' diplomatic ambitions, the economic interests of China and Russia and the American pressure for quiet in Iraq. This requires Israel to maneuver wisely and cautiously so as not to render itself an isolated warmonger, and from there a regional threat. This is especially the case when it is clear that the region, Iran and the great powers all understand that Israel's military option has not evaporated and that faced with an existential, genuine and immediate threat, Israel will not take foreign interests into consideration. At the same time, Israel must allow diplomatic efforts to move ahead, lower the tone of the military threat and understand that dialogue with Iran is essential to an attempt to reduce its military motivation. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Tears of joy Shahar Zubari's bronze medal was Israel's first of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 'Germ of corruption' Mahmoud Ahmadinejad repeats his prediction that Israel will be wiped off the map.   1.   Iranian people and Israelis are best friends 09:40  |  negotiate NOW ! 14/08/08   2.   Swallowing Zionist propaganda whole 09:56  |  Clickfool 14/08/08   3.   Israeli diplomacy? 10:08  |  Manny Goldstein 14/08/08   4.   Mission scrubbed 10:10  |  Natallie Durson 14/08/08   5.   Come on Haaretz.Israel never said war was its first optionp 10:22  |  PETER SM 14/08/08   6.   Then why insist on belligerence against "settlers"? 10:33  |  Binyamin Dissen 14/08/08   7.   Georgia fracas underscores antibelligerency doctrine 10:59  |  Ivar 14/08/08   8.   CFOOL"A nation of martyrs can rule the mountaintops of the world" 11:14  |  PETER SM 14/08/08   9.   Ha`Aretz is Right 11:27  |  MB 14/08/08   10.   Israel has been the neighbourhood 11:39  |  Chris Linthwaite 14/08/08   11.   At last a wise article 11:53  |  Edith 14/08/08   12.   Israel is learning the language of peace!!! 12:17  |  HENRY 14/08/08   13.   Haaretz member of the appeasement league 12:30  |  Jonathan S 14/08/08   14.   A pity such article is necessary to our idiot ministers 12:41  |  S 14/08/08   15.   #8 PeterSM. Over 4 000 US Martyrs, for what? 13:04  |  Maureen Ann 14/08/08   16.   #2 the clucking fool and nuclear deterrents 13:49  |  victor hardman 14/08/08   17.   IVAR THE NAZI 14:58  |  soggy liberal 14/08/08   18.   Two Faced World 15:40  |  AnakAdeen 14/08/08   19.   Damn straight! 16:39  |  Fred Michaelsberg 14/08/08   20.   Tame Israel Now (TIN) 16:39  |  Steven 14/08/08   21.   #13 Jonathan S member of the warmongers league 16:40  |  examiner 14/08/08   22.   Now Israel, Play Nicely With Your New Nuclear Neighbors 17:09  |  Gray 14/08/08   23.   # 21 examiner re jonathan s 17:31  |  Axel 14/08/08   24.   Israel must beat the drums 17:55  |  Jonathan S 14/08/08   25.   War Is The zionists LifeBlood 18:03  |  Jake A 14/08/08   26.   Axel #23 18:10  |  examiner 14/08/08   27.   Israel`s belligerence equals that of Iran... 18:27  |  Silvienne 14/08/08   28.   Irony 19:40  |  Alain 14/08/08   29.   Zionist Warmongers - Gnash Your Teeth In Frustration 19:41  |  chet 14/08/08   30.   More dishonest, anti-Israel exaggeration from Haaretz 20:02  |  Steve Randolph 14/08/08   31.   I guess late is better than never!!! 21:00  |  Iranian-american 14/08/08   32.   2 great ancient cultures that should set an example 22:42  |  work together 14/08/08   33.   Diplomacy And Sanctions Are Not Effective , Israel Must Attack. 22:50  |  Joseph.E 14/08/08   34.   Use war to destroy war! 22:50  |  Paul 14/08/08   35.   blatant dishonesty 23:00  |  curious george 14/08/08   36.   curious george #34 name of a very stupid monkey yes? 23:35  |  Gee 14/08/08   37.   "Warmongering"? How about "Tough Talk" 23:37  |  Lee 14/08/08   38.   #27 would you trust silvienne with a small child? 23:43  |  victor hardman 14/08/08   39.   Wrong 00:06  |  Fortuna Benmayor 15/08/08   40.   Ivar`s simplistic views 00:15  |  utagawa 15/08/08   41.   Say Joseph #32 00:21  |  ballistic 15/08/08   42.   #33 What is Washington/Gates thinking you ask? 00:23  |  ballistic 15/08/08   43.   #35 Say Paul Harris---are you serious??? 00:29  |  ballistic 15/08/08   44.   Strategic warmongering 00:55  |  Marty Green 15/08/08   45.   the sad and funny thing is 01:03  |  Tarzan 15/08/08   46.   away fron nazionalist ,neocons 01:19  |  anna 15/08/08   47.   Victor Paul Harris Man, you talk about trust? 01:42  |  BBSNews 15/08/08   48.   # 7, Ivar Israel`s Occupation a global threat 02:17  |  Gray 15/08/08   49.   CHET1.The USA does support Israel 2.The USA does not want Iran 02:21  |  PETER SM 15/08/08   50.   CHET1.The USA does support Israel 2.The USA does not want Iran 02:21  |  PETER SM 15/08/08   51.   Incredibly dumb editorial. When someone threatens you with 02:30  |  Chaim 15/08/08   52.   Cont. 02:55  |  Alex 15/08/08   53.   IRAN NUCLEAR AMBITIONS 03:14  |  ABITBOL 15/08/08   54.   #51 Chaim`s Fantasy World 03:26  |  Johan Odin 15/08/08   55.   Haaetz decided not to publish my first post so here 03:38  |  Alex 15/08/08   56.   GRAY"A Nation of martyrs-" are a global threat& their aplogists 03:47  |  PETER SM 15/08/08   57.   Warmongering...no 04:17  |  Sabra 15/08/08   58.   Israel war mongerers? 04:37  |  Shlomog 15/08/08   59.   Re jakeA 04:50  |  Shlomog 15/08/08   60.   #5 You can not be serious, PETER SM 06:48  |  Johnboy 15/08/08   61.   Israel war happy 07:47  |  Dani 15/08/08   62.   Utagawa, 40, caught my trivial error, made mountain of it 08:26  |  Ivar 15/08/08   63.   JOHNBOYWhere did Israel say war #1 option or the preferred option 08:42  |  PETER SM 15/08/08   64.   #51 Chaim 08:44  |  Space 15/08/08   65.