Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., May 12, 2009 Iyyar 18, 5769 | | Israel Time: 05:33 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File TLV 100

Last update - 12:21 04/05/2009 Israel's new U.S. envoy to AIPAC: We won't let Iran go nuclear By Natasha Mozgovaya Tags: Nuclear Weapons, AIPAC, Iran  WASHINGTON - Pouring rain did not prevent more than 6,000 people from attending Sunday's opening of the annual AIPAC conference in Washington, which is considered one of the city's 10 biggest political and media events. Politicians, academics, Jewish community activists and more than 1,000 college students came to participate in the dozens of panels and workshops hosted by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a leading pro-Israel lobby. The topics ranged from "lobbying for beginners" to various scenarios for both the future of U.S.-Israel relations and developments in the Middle East. Because this year's conference coincided with a new administration in Israel, there were more former decision-makers than current ones present. However, President Shimon Peres will attend Monday's conference session, which will focus on the Iranian nuclear threat, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address the gathering by video tonight. Advertisement Neither U.S. President Barack Obama nor Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - both of whom attended last year's AIPAC conference as presidential candidates - will address the gathering this year. Instead, the U.S. administration will be represented by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Several leading congressmen will also attend. Michael Oren, the noted historian who is slated to be the next Israeli ambassador to the U.S., appeared Sunday on a panel about Israel's "cold peace" with Egypt and Jordan. But he opened his remarks by stressing that since the cabinet had yet to formally approve his appointment as ambassador, he was addressing the gathering strictly as an academic. The hottest topic in the corridors was Iran's nuclear program and how Israel would respond, and this also got plenty of attention in the official program. "Israel will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons," Oren told lobbyists. Oren, a noted historian, was quoted as saying that Israel would not remain passive while a regime that has sworn to wipe it off the map acquired the means to do this, referring to comments made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. At another panel discussion yesterday, former deputy defense minister Ephraim Sneh bluntly told participants that time was running out: Based on what Israel knows about Iran's progress, he said, the deadline for a decision is now. Israel, he added, has an "operational solution" to this program that it can implement on its own, without the permission or support of any other country. However, since any Israeli military action would surely provoke Iranian retaliation, military action is a last resort, he said. Nevertheless, he stressed, military action is better than allowing Iran to have nuclear weapons, since should Iran acquire nuclear weapons, this would negatively affect Israel in seven different ways: Immigration would dry up; parents would encourage their children to emigrate; investment in Israel would drop significantly; Middle East moderates would become more extreme, making a peace deal with Syria much less likely, for instance; terrorists would become bolder, thanks to having a patron with nuclear arms; Israeli decision-making would become more timid, for fear of provoking Iran; and a nuclear arms race would erupt throughout the Middle East. There are rumors, he noted, that Saudi Arabia has already made a deal with Pakistan, under which the Saudis would buy the bomb from their fellow Sunni Muslims in Islamabad the minute Shi'ite Iran acquires nuclear weapons. And Egypt would certainly not be far behind. Asked about the likelihood that Russia and China would agree to impose serious sanctions on Iran, Sneh said he saw no chance whatsoever of this happening. But even if it did, he added, Iran could find other sources of fuel and spare parts for its reactors. Related articles: 'IDF staged drills over Gibraltar, in preparation for Iran strike' Is Netanyahu bringing Israel closer to a 'second Holocaust'? Zvi Bar'el / On Iran, Barack Obama is no Chamberlain Bookmark to del.icio.us   Benedict XVI in Israel Special Feature / Pictures, videos, analysis and breaking news from the pope's visit Sperm woes Study shows a 40% decline in the quality of Israeli men's sperm over the last decade   1.   Right,and after iran gets them, you will be making your lame 06:20  |  glenna 04/05/09   2.   Fear and greed may have led to a dillema. 06:26  |  Joel A. Levitt 04/05/09   3.   Michael Oren 11:02  |  Natallie Durson 04/05/09   4.   Oren has a poor grasp of reality 12:18  |  Chris Linthwaite 04/05/09   5.   Wrong agenda. Saudi Plan should be AIPAC agenda for peace 14:12  |  Ivar 04/05/09   6.   And then.... 15:14  |  john 04/05/09   7.   Israel is either bluffing or living in the past 15:22  |  American in NY 04/05/09   8.   Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer Kharrazi : 15:30  |  Jean Van Daem 04/05/09   9.   We won`t let Iran go nuclear 16:47  |  Erben 04/05/09   10.   aipac 17:45  |  molsen 04/05/09   11.   I havent read Orens historic works but his present opinion 06:20  |  jim the mechanic 06/05/09   12.   Many Turning against Israel? 18:24  |  Brenda 06/05/09   13.   Oren, etc 05:19  |  bob wilson 12/05/09

Read & React 'Obama's peace plan: Muslim world must recognize Israel' Responses: 157 Akiva Eldar: Obama is changing the rules of Mideast pressure Responses: 79 Amira Hass: Israel knows that peace just doesn't pay Responses: 84 Did U.S. help Lebanon crack alleged Israeli spy rings? Responses: 34 Pope arrives in Israel for historic visit Responses: 23 More Headlines 02:45 Study: Iran's missiles not an existential threat 02:58 Mubarak: Chatter about Shalit raises Hamas' demands 03:05 Gidi Grinstein / Will Netanyahu lead or be dragged in Washington? 03:22 New envoy to U.S.: Soon Jews won't want to live in Israel 23:11 Pope walks out after Muslim cleric accuses Israel of 'slaughter' 03:34 Survivors angered by pope's 'lukewarm' Yad Vashem speech 19:58 SPECIAL FEATURE / The Pope In The Holy Land 13:52 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel 04:24 Facebook acts against Holocaust denial sites following public outrage 23:41 Demjanjuk taken from his home as deportation looms 04:09 Bless the Sabbath, enjoins Super-Sol 04:01 Silence in the stacks 02:31 Twitter revolution / Let's put a length limit on everything Previous Editions Select Day 11 may 10 may 08 may 07 may 06 may 05 may 04 may 03 may 01 may 30 apr 29 apr 28 apr

Special Offers Advertisement Spring Specials-Dan Hotels Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$ The Meier on Rothschild Tower Masterpiece Residence in the Heart of Tel Aviv Dead Sea Skin Care Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off! Camp Kimama Israel 2009 The best place for your children this summer Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results

Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved