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Aide: Obama, Netanyahu to focus on Iran threat
By Barak Ravid and Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondents and The Associated Press
Tags: Israel News, Palestinians 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United States President Barack Obama will discuss the threat posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions, a close aide to the Israeli premier said Sunday.

"This is an existential matter," said National Security Council head Uzi Arad. "Iran is constantly advancing toward a nuclear capability, and joint efforts with the [Obama] administration to prevent this will be at the center of the discussion."

Arad's comments came shortly after Netanyahu arrived on Sunday in Washington, where he was scheduled to meet with Obama on Monday and propose that joint teams draft a new road map for the Palestinian peace process and a new strategy on Iran.
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"There is no subject more important to Israel, and the administration knows this," Arad added. "There is a sense of urgency and that time is against us. No one will dictate to the other, but the subject is urgent from our point of view, and the Americans understand the timeframe very well."

Obama has said he cannot tell Israel not to fear Iran's nuclear ambitions, in comments published Saturday ahead of the meeting with Netanyahu.

On the matter of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, Arad said it was possible that there would be differences of approach between the sides.

"There are many hurdles on the road to living side by side in peace with the Palestinians," Arad said, citing the takeover of the Gaza Strip by Islamic Hamas militants in June 2007.

"That is the presence of a huge terrorist infrastructure that was put in place, established precisely at the time when Israel evacuated Gaza and allowed the Palestinians to rule themselves," he said.

But he added that the "practical approach" that guides both sides will be that which determines the results of the meeting.

Netanyahu was to meet later Sunday with Israel's outgoing envoy to the U.S., Sallai Meridor, and with leaders of the AIPAC lobby.

'Netanyahu unlikely to declare support for Palestinian state'

An aide to the prime minister said earlier Sunday that Netanyahu is unlikely to declare support for the establishment of a Palestinian state when he meets with Obama at the White House.

His proposal for a new road map marks a bid to soften edgy relations with Washington surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

At the meeting with Obama, Netanyahu intends to emphasize his intention to resume the peace talks with the Palestinians soon, but with the participation of the moderate Arab states. Establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and the moderate Arab states could significantly advance the peace process with the Palestinians, he will say.

Obama is expected to support this concept, but will ask Netanyahu to start out with a gesture toward the Palestinians and to halt all construction in the West Bank settlements. Obama will also ask Netanyahu to declare Israel's support for the "two states for two nations" principle.

A senior Jerusalem source said Saturday that the visit was intended to present only preliminary positions. "At the next stage the teams will try to reduce the differences between the sides and examine ways of advancing the peace process and strategic matters," the source said.

Netanyahu's aides said the preparation talks before the meeting were effective and no conflict was expected at the dialogue with Obama.

President Shimon Peres spoke to Netanyahu a few times last week and impressed on him the importance of avoiding an overt confrontation with Obama at any cost. This could have disastrous implications on Israel's national security, Peres said.

Netanyahu will ask Obama to tighten the coordination between the two administrations in defense and state affairs, and to set up communication channels and joint work teams on the Iranian and Palestinian issues, a source in the prime minister's bureau said.

Contrary to the remarks made by Netanyahu's aide, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Saturday that the prime minister was ready to declare his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"I believe Netanyahu is ready for a process whose end is two states for two peoples," Barak, who is also chairman of the Labor party, told Channel 2 shortly before Netanyahu left for Washington. "Even Netanyahu understands that the ultimate end of the process is two peoples living side by side in peace and security," he said.

However, an aide of the prime minister's said Netanyahu is unlikely to display flexibility on the "two states for two nations" principle. He will tell Obama that any agreement would oblige the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish nation-state.

Benjamin Netanyahu video address to AIPAC on May 5, 2009.



Netanyahu is expected to tell the American president that he objects to halting construction in the settlements completely, but is willing to take steps to dismantle the illegal outposts, an aide said.

He will tell Obama that the outposts are a legal matter which Barak has been negotiating with the settlers, in order to reach an agreement.

Netanyahu will also tell Obama that without dealing with Iran it would be difficult to advance the peace process with the Palestinians. He will ask Obama to coordinate the American-Iranian dialogue with Israel, and stress the importance of acting firmly against Iran should this dialogue fail.

Ahead of Netanyahu's trip, meanwhile, senior Obama administration officials said in a press briefing Saturday that Middle East peace agreements were in U.S. national interests. They also noted that Obama and Netanyahu would discuss the issue of West Bank settlement building.

"The meeting on Monday is a continuation of a very close relationship between the U.S. and Israel - very close friendship and cooperation on many issues," said one official. "This is [the president's] first opportunity to take the next step to deepen and expand this cooperation. And I'm quite sure it will be the first of many such conversations."

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      1.   This from the guy who demands recognituion of 14:48  |  Labhras 17/05/09
      2.   Netanyahu demands 15:45  |  WHG 17/05/09
      3.   Israel`s Settlements Enterprise is about to become history 16:32  |  Ivar 17/05/09
      4.   Peace for Peace 16:40  |  Debbie 17/05/09
      5.   Tying Iran to the Palestinians? EXCUSES RULE! 17:01  |  jim the mechanic 17/05/09
      6.   Debbie 17:08  |  Ilias 17/05/09
      7.   Ilias from Rich Dubai 17:34  |  Debbie 17/05/09
      8.   One State is the best way. Let the natural order take place. 18:04  |  Lou Medel 17/05/09
      9.   I`N NOT SURPRISED 18:42  |  indrajaya 17/05/09
      10.   good answer debbie 19:00  |  Alan SA 17/05/09
      11.   Legitimacy : Israel and the 22 Arab League countries. 19:04  |  Jean Van Daem 17/05/09
      12.   And what medications is Medel smokin? 19:17  |  Ronnbo 17/05/09
      13.   one state solution 19:23  |  dave 17/05/09
      14.   First things first 19:30  |  Mark Lincoln 17/05/09
      15.   Netanyahu-Lieberman Saga 19:43  |  American 17/05/09
      16.   Don`t give in 19:45  |  Shimon 17/05/09
      17.   Neganyahu`s supporters 19:51  |  Michael 17/05/09
      18.   #12 Mark Lincoln, pactice makes progress 19:57  |  Mark B. 17/05/09
      19.   Debbie/#4; "The Whole World" can focus on ... 20:01  |  Deacon2 17/05/09
      20.   THIS IS HIS WEAKNESS, HE IS TOO HONEST 20:10  |  indrajaya 17/05/09
      21.   The end game is coming. 20:17  |  Moshe Benzaquen 17/05/09
      22.   Operation avoid the two state solution 20:44  |  Chris Linthwaite 17/05/09
      23.   Obama and Netanyahu are right to focus on the Iranian threat 21:00  |  Realist 17/05/09
      24.   WHG 2 you should read the road map 21:05  |  Realist 17/05/09
      25.   watch the power of AIPAC and zionist in USA 21:15  |  muslim-- 17/05/09
      26.   Chris22 21:15  |  dave 17/05/09
      27.   by the way chris 21:20  |  dave 17/05/09
      28.   2 State solution is dead 21:40  |  Jennifer 17/05/09
      29.   Debbie # 7 yes people are picking on Israel 21:41  |  American in NY 17/05/09
      30.   Labhras in Ireland 22:10  |  JEW 17/05/09
      31.   Obama and Amelek 22:36  |  Jewish Tao 17/05/09
      32.   # 15 22:38  |  oz 17/05/09
      33.   # 17michael 22:41  |  oz 17/05/09
      34.   israel thrives and israel has made huge tech advances 22:47  |  harzion 17/05/09
      35.   When a threat is a threat, it is a threat. 22:51  |  TonyL 17/05/09
      36.   linthwaite goes further downmarket 22:56  |  harzion 17/05/09
      37.   guys since 1970 israel has in absolute terms 23:02  |  harzion 17/05/09
      38.   Look how the Jew haters are so excited now 23:12  |  Jewish Soldier 17/05/09
      39.   What is Bibi afraid of? 23:28  |  Larry 17/05/09
      40.   KING OF JORDAN MAGNANIMUS,GIVE UP 1/3 OF TRASJORDAN TO FORM A PAL 23:43  |  J LASHAK-KOROGODSKY 17/05/09
      41.   This is a gimmick! The occupation of Palestinians is the problem! 23:52  |  American 17/05/09
      42.   Comments diabled ;-) 23:59  |  fritz t. 17/05/09
      43.   Yes we focus on Israel because they helped start the Iraq War 00:00  |  Marc Leb 18/05/09
      44.   Says the official: My boss can beat up your boss! 01:43  |  Johnboy 18/05/09
      45.   Obama 02:30  |  Hopeful 18/05/09
      46.   Israel telling itself fairy tales 02:30  |  Mark Lincoln 18/05/09
      47.   Uzi Arad--spy banned from the US 02:34  |  steve 18/05/09
      48.   News flash should read: Obama to implement destroy Israel policy 03:02  |  Jeffrey 18/05/09
      49.   Deacon2 10:11  |  Debbie 18/05/09
      50.   Mark Lincoln 10:25  |  Debbie 18/05/09
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