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Last update - 00:00 05/11/2008
Israel worried about effect of Obama win on U.S. ties with Iran
By Barak Ravid
Tags: Israel News, Barack Obama 

Israel is worried about what the outcome of America's presidential election may portend for Washington's policy on Iran.

On most Israel-related issues, Jerusalem foresees no dramatic changes in U.S. policy, regardless of who is elected. On Iran, however, it is worried that Democratic candidate Barack Obama will take a significantly softer line than the outgoing administration has. During his campaign, Obama repeatedly said that if elected, he would begin a dialogue with the Iranian regime.

Israel is also worried that U.S. President George W. Bush will use his final two months in office to open an interests section in Tehran - a move his administration has been discussing for months.
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Over the last few weeks, Israel has sent high-level messages to Washington in which it expressed its objections to the proposal to open an interests sections. However, a senior Israeli government source said, Jerusalem still has no definite information about the plan.

"Most of what we know comes solely from fragments of information and hints," he said. "But the way things look at the moment, it seems as if they are going to open the interests section soon."

Israel began communicating with Obama's staff about the Iranian issue while the campaign was still ongoing. According to senior government sources, the main concern is that Obama will begin a dialogue with Iran without preconditions. Israel is seeking to ensure that its interests will be protected in any American-Iranian dialogue.

Overall, however, a Foreign Ministry assessment of the future of Israeli-American relations after the election remains optimistic.

"Whichever president is elected is not expected to make significant changes with regard to Israel," said the assessment, which was presented at a ministry-sponsored conference a few weeks ago. The document also noted that Israel has a "safety net" in the form of Congress and certain friendly executive agencies, which will help to balance any problematic presidential tilt.

In any case, the document pointed out, Israel is not going to be at the top of the new president's list of foreign policy priorities: Whoever is elected, his chief concerns will be Iraq, Afghanistan and the crisis in relations with Russia.

However, the ministry does consider it likely that the new president will appoint a special envoy for the Middle East peace process. If so, the key question is which track Washington will view as its priority - the negotiations with Syria or those with the Palestinians.

The ministry plans to open a special "war room" before dawn today to analyze the results of the presidential election. Staffers of the ministry's North American desk have been asked to submit position papers giving their preliminary analyses by 9 A.M. today, by which point most of the results should be in.

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      1.   NOW! they get worried? 05:53  |  Non-voter 05/11/08
      2.   Isreal will have to be more flexible.... 06:16  |  R 05/11/08
      3.   I Would Wish That The Press Core... 06:27  |  Yosemite 05/11/08
      4.   Obama 06:41  |  Roxy 05/11/08
      5.   "Time to Move" 06:41  |  Dan 05/11/08
      6.   Israel 06:44  |  WHite RUssian 05/11/08
      7.   WORRIED 06:45  |  CHARLS 05/11/08
      8.   GOD IS IN CONTROL 06:46  |  ISAIAH 12:2 05/11/08
      9.   Bummer. Diplomacy with Iran... 06:48  |  BBSNews 05/11/08
      10.   Israel is still a friend 06:55  |  Joe not the plummer 05/11/08
      11.   This is funny. 06:57  |  abm habibullah 05/11/08
      12.   Well Kadima Does it Again 07:04  |  Ralph Levy 05/11/08
      13.   Jews should stop dreaming of controlling America 07:22  |  American Citizen 05/11/08
      14.   "Jerusalem is worried." 07:26  |  Maureen Ann 05/11/08
      15.   Israel should be VERY worried 07:35  |  POP 05/11/08
      16.   Iran 07:37  |  c. 05/11/08
      17.   If he messes up... 07:43  |  The Maven who unders 05/11/08
      18.   TIME TO RESTORE RELATIONS 07:48  |  Iranian 05/11/08
      19.   Obama 07:50  |  Arie Heide 05/11/08
      20.   No business of Israel ... 07:55  |  jim 05/11/08
      21.   To #2 08:01  |  Frank 05/11/08
      22.   ATTACK IRAN NOW - HERE IS HOW 08:05  |  Barry S. Roffman 05/11/08
      23.   Its our president not yours 08:06  |  Suspecious 05/11/08
      24.   After January 20, 2009 08:06  |  David Zukerman 05/11/08
      25.   Is Israel a vassal of the U.S.A.? 08:11  |  Jean Van Daem 05/11/08
      26.   What a Speech what an Ovation what a remarkable man 08:17  |  Dagma 05/11/08
      27.   Obama will negotiate with Iran 08:17  |  Gregor 05/11/08
      28.   #23 suspecious 08:31  |  S.D 05/11/08
      29.   SPEAK SOFTLY & CARRY A BIG STICK 08:41  |  Shtarka 05/11/08
      30.   Foreign ministry assesment 08:43  |  Sameer 05/11/08
      31.   Things with Iran might improve 08:55  |  PhoenixAlly 05/11/08
      32.   Israeli sleeper cells? 09:03  |  JOHN DICKERSON 05/11/08
      33.   Obama no centrist 09:05  |  Gregor 05/11/08
      34.   the beginning of the end of what 09:08  |  Imad 05/11/08
      35.   #22, you lead 09:13  |  Joe Stein 05/11/08
      36.   Jerusalem is worried? Jerusalem doesn`t represent nothing legall 09:18  |  ELIAS KHOURY 05/11/08
      37.   Obama better for all inclusing Israel 09:23  |  MiddleStanian 05/11/08
      38.   Time to Move 09:26  |  Bill 05/11/08
      39.   Worried Why 09:29  |  A man who knows 05/11/08
      40.   The truth has a chance now 09:30  |  Fritz T. 05/11/08
      41.   #16 Iran Bravo 09:31  |  A man who knows 05/11/08
      42.   18, thats right! 09:33  |  Fritz T. 05/11/08
      43.   IF(OBAMA){ _US_AS_SUPERPOWER = false; } 10:08  |  Mike 05/11/08
      44.   Re: ATTACK IRAN NOW - HERE IS HOW 10:15  |  Avner 05/11/08
      45.   Me, me, me, me, me.....always me 10:28  |  Clickfool 05/11/08
      46.   HEY JIM - You have elected a President that will drive the US 10:31  |  Ben 05/11/08
      47.   Absolutely no chance now of an attack on Iran 10:33  |  Clickfool 05/11/08
      48.   #Barry S Roffman. Why don`t you... 10:37  |  Maureen Ann 05/11/08
      49.   Barak Ravid is Worried 10:45  |  Grgeory Slater 05/11/08
      50.   Maureen Anne 11:01  |  dafna 05/11/08
      51.   There is plenty to worry 11:01  |  Brod 05/11/08
      52.   For the Foreign Ministry - US Govt 101 11:01  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/11/08
      53.   For the Foreign Ministry - US Govt 101 -2 11:11  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/11/08
      54.   For Barry the Spammer # 22 11:15  |  Clickfool 05/11/08
      55.   Clickfool #54 11:57  |  Zelkha 05/11/08
      56.   Israel is worried - GOOD! 12:08  |  Danny 05/11/08
      57.   For Zelkha # 55 12:08  |  Clickfool 05/11/08
      58.   Jerusalem SHOULD be worried that it might have to attack Iran 12:23  |  Yaakov K. 05/11/08
      59.   THE US will get the same run around as the UN and IAEA 12:36  |  PETER SM 05/11/08
      60.   Mind your own business 12:38  |  RG 05/11/08
      61.   KHOURY Come back when you rule Jerusalem 13:07  |  PETER SM 05/11/08
      62.   DANNY Good foer you maybe but Khameini Supreme leader of Iran 13:10  |  PETER SM 05/11/08
      63.   #35 - I`D BE HONORED TO LEAD THE ATTACK 14:09  |  Barry S. Roffman 05/11/08
      64.   #33 - IRAN is NOT IRAQ, THIS SHOULD BE ISRAEL`S ATTACK 14:23  |  Barry S. Roffman 05/11/08
      65.   All Arabs in the US voted Obama 14:31  |  Faris Zaidan 05/11/08
      66.   #48 - SAILING THE WRONG ARK 14:44  |  Barry S. Roffman 05/11/08
      67.   Clickfool #54 - READ ZECHARIAH CHAPTER 12 15:05  |  Barry S. Roffman 05/11/08
      68.   Clickfool #54 & 67 - ZECHARIAH typo dix 15:26  |  Barry S. Roffman 05/11/08
      69.   Faris #65 15:33  |  Brod 05/11/08
      70.   watch it israel... 15:59  |  ravi 05/11/08
      71.   no. 25...jean van daem 16:02  |  ravi 05/11/08
      72.   I Hope. 16:36  |  Cool B 05/11/08
      73.   Cool B #72 17:20  |  Brod 05/11/08
      74.   I agree with you Roxy 17:25  |  Anna 05/11/08
      75.   Gods Will 17:32  |  Anna 05/11/08
      76.   #60 Mind your own business 18:11  |  Sam 05/11/08
      77.   IT IS WRITTEN 18:50  |  Kenny 05/11/08
      78.   Israel should only worry about Iran if Israel attacks Iran 19:39  |  Tom Clark 05/11/08
      79.   Roxy #4 03:13  |  Observer 06/11/08
      80.   #23 suspicious 03:25  |  Observer 06/11/08
      81.   #34 beg of end... 03:29  |  Observer 06/11/08
      82.   #49 03:35  |  Observer 06/11/08
      83.   #65 03:39  |  Observer 06/11/08
      84.   Brod # 69 03:42  |  Observer 06/11/08
      85.   #78 03:47  |  Observer 06/11/08
      86.   Isreal being flexible 08:15  |  J 06/11/08
      87.   Israel worried 08:19  |  J 06/11/08
      88.   Kenny @ 77 RE: IT IS WRITTEN 18:41  |  Man 06/11/08
      89.   Isreal will have to be more flexible....???? 11:05  |  simon 09/11/08
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