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Last update - 03:11 13/12/2007
Israeli official: U.S. is not doing enough on Iran nukes
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Tags: Iran, nuclear program, Israel 

A senior Israeli official has fiercely criticized U.S. President George Bush's administration for the way it has dealt with the Iranian nuclear issue.

The official said that the administration was not doing what was required of it to create an international coalition and wide agreement to pressure Iran over its nuclear program.

Criticism from senior members of Israel's political echelon with regard to U.S. policy on the matter is rare.
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The official mainly spoke out against Bush's failure to enlist support from China, Russia and, to a certain extent, India, for increasing pressure on Iran and North Korea.

According to the official, the Bush administration has insisted on stressing matters such as human rights in China and its policy on Taiwan, and as a result, has neglected to gain its support in the struggle against Iran.

The official added that the approach of the Bush administration has been the same toward Russia - focusing on human rights and on the federation's struggles with Chechnya - thus allowing both China and Russia to take a "negativistic" approach to the Americans.

Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi called for international pressure on Iran, but said that the IDF recognized the need to prepare in the event that global efforts fail.

"The international community must act with determination to stop the nuclearization of Iran, but should this action not succeed, we in the Israel Defence Forces must prepare for any scenario," Ashkenazi said.

"In the coming years the need to strike at significant long-range targets will become far more important, therefore the capability to act both defensively and offensively against various threats will be upgraded greatly with a strong emphasis on long-range capability," he said without elaborating.

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      1.   Of course... Especially after OUR agencies said there is no need. 22:24  |  Greg 12/12/07
      2.   Food for thought: Iran restarted nuclear weapons program in 2004. 22:27  |  www.spacewar.com 12/12/07
      3.   More undignified whining, bleating and pestering 22:31  |  Clickfool 12/12/07
      4.   Media reports... 22:33  |  Maureen Ann 12/12/07
      5.   Who Cares What Israel Thinks - Iran is Not a Threat to US 22:47  |  Mr. Knowitall 12/12/07
      6.   Underlying motives 22:50  |  observant 12/12/07
      7.   Any "senior official" ... 22:55  |  Veritas 12/12/07
      8.   Fancy that 22:58  |  Paul Wood 12/12/07
      9.   Bush won`t attack Iran--bad news, good news for israel 23:04  |  Voice of Reason 12/12/07
      10.   4Mr.Knowitall,well said! Not 40 years,but 60 years! 23:10  |  lakshmi 12/12/07
      11.   Irrational Zionists 23:12  |  DoubleClick 12/12/07
      12.   The U.S. doesn`t work for Israel.. 23:29  |  ramzey 12/12/07
      13.   Mr. Knowitall, #4 23:38  |  Jason, Ph.D. 12/12/07
      14.   Bush does have a problem 23:44  |  Brod 12/12/07
      15.   JUST DO IT! 23:54  |  Robert 12/12/07
      16.   Not doing enough?!?! 23:56  |  Dave 12/12/07
      17.   who cares what Israel thinks 00:11  |  Gregor 13/12/07
      18.   Israel is all talk and no action 00:22  |  Wendy 13/12/07
      19.   Hey, Israeli Idiot Official : Wait to the Dems Are Elected 00:24  |  Tod Zuckerman 13/12/07
      20.   Ban military sales to Israel before its too late! 00:37  |  Fred Omran 13/12/07
      21.   Iranian nukes 00:39  |  Gregor 13/12/07
      22.   Showing the American People who was behind Bush`s lies 00:47  |  Pablo B 13/12/07
      23.   Clickfool,it took dignified Brits 60 years to repay the war debt 00:48  |  Absolute Sweden 13/12/07
      24.   FIGHT YOUR OWN DAMN WAR! 00:49  |  Tired of war 13/12/07
      25.   5 Dave. Excellent advice! Unfortunately we are currently saddled 00:51  |  bat yam 13/12/07
      26.   So brave... 00:55  |  Dana 13/12/07
      27.   Israel`s complaint 00:58  |  Zeje 13/12/07
      28.   #2 spacewar - quoting a source on the US list of known terrorists 01:02  |  Pablo B 13/12/07
      29.   America: Iran can serve oil, Israel just problems. 01:09  |  Dutch Dirk 13/12/07
      30.   Israel`s neighbours will get the bomb. 01:22  |  Neutered Observer 13/12/07
      31.   anti-Zionists: Israel precisely wants DIPLOMACY not war 01:26  |  Paul Freedman 13/12/07
      32.   9 hey pablo. read the rest of the story 01:28  |  blind to the truth 13/12/07
      33.   Thank you Israel for saving the world at Osirak 01:29  |  People of the World 13/12/07
      34.   THIS IS RUDE, BABY 01:36  |  indrajaya 13/12/07
      35.   Iran 01:41  |  Andy 13/12/07
      36.   So we should take advice 01:46  |  Chris Linthwaite 13/12/07
      37.   to #4 01:56  |  andrew 13/12/07
      38.   US is not doing enough about Iran nukes, sniffle, sniffle! 02:05  |  ballistic 13/12/07
      39.   No real men in israel to defend It. 02:07  |  Dean 13/12/07
      40.   NIE vs. John Bolton. 02:23  |  www.washingtonpost.c 13/12/07
      41.   Israel is starting to realize that US support is no longer enough 02:23  |  The End is Near 13/12/07
      42.   Israel: We do not want perpetual war like you! 02:25  |  Ghandi 13/12/07
      43.   Israel is all talk and no action 02:46  |  George 13/12/07
      44.   WAAH WAAH WAAH 03:14  |  Simon Isherwood 13/12/07
      45.   Israel is calling for diplomacy to avoid war 03:16  |  Paul Freedman 13/12/07
      46.   TO FOOD 4 THOUGHT, WWW.SPACEWAR.COM 03:18  |  Persian Kitty 13/12/07
      47.   barak criticizes us 03:21  |  geroge 13/12/07
      48.   To www.washingtonpost.com PUSSY 03:30  |  Persian Kitty 13/12/07
      49.   Settledown Folks 03:32  |  Nephtaly 13/12/07
      50.   Mouse roars 03:36  |  jjvanka 13/12/07
      51.   #12 Who cares what John Bolton says? 03:52  |  ballistic 13/12/07
      52.   John Bolton??? 04:04  |  Dana 13/12/07
      53.   enough is enough 04:43  |  Randi 13/12/07
      54.   What the U.S. does... 06:29  |  Steven Grumman 13/12/07
      55.   Might be a good time to point out to the Israelis 08:38  |  Johnboy 13/12/07
      56.   ISRAEL, fight your own wars 09:25  |  VIPER 13/12/07
      57.   The 2007 Israel NIE 09:25  |  blu 13/12/07
      58.   They want another Iraq 09:45  |  Palestinian 13/12/07
      59.   #51 concerning wolfowitz 09:53  |  go figure? 13/12/07
      60.   #51 concerning wolfowitz 09:53  |  go figure? 13/12/07
      61.   us not doing enough 10:20  |  mike 13/12/07
      62.   More absolute lies from Absolute Sweden 10:26  |  Clickfool 13/12/07
      63.   John Bolton - All the Credibility of Pinochio 10:28  |  Mark of Lewiston 13/12/07
      64.   Fear where no Fear is 13:46  |  Dow Buzzell 13/12/07
      65.   Iran/Israel 14:31  |  JImbo 13/12/07
      66.   Not enough 14:39  |  Advocate4Liberty 13/12/07
      67.   Paraphrase of Israeli position 17:54  |  Murray 13/12/07
      68.   Yessuh Master..be right on that! 19:00  |  T A Sheppard 13/12/07
      69.   Its time 19:08  |  Salviati 13/12/07
      70.   #45 Quit Your Lieing Freedman! 20:47  |  Joe B 13/12/07
      71.   #49 GO RIGHT AHEAD! 21:08  |  Joe B 13/12/07
      72.   iran`s nukes? how about israel`s? 21:12  |  rasta 13/12/07
      73.   US also doesn`t do enough on Israeli buildings outside green line 22:17  |  John 13/12/07
      74.   Israel Says US Is Not Doing Enough To Start WW3 22:39  |  Tom3 13/12/07
      75.   . 22:59  |  Joey Jojo 13/12/07
      76.   Independence from Israel 23:26  |  Divorce from zionist 13/12/07
      77.   F*ck Israel 23:42  |  Wissig 13/12/07
      78.   Israeli Official: U.S. Ignoring Iran... 00:40  |  David Jordan 14/12/07
      79.   Israeli Official.... 00:47  |  David Jordan 14/12/07
      80.   Israeli Official... 00:55  |  David Jordan 14/12/07
      81.   Food For Thought! www.spacewar.com 01:02  |  David Jordan 14/12/07
      82.