Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., June 30, 2008 Sivan 27, 5768 | | Israel Time: 20:20 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 00:59 23/05/2008 Pelosi denies Olmert proposed U.S. naval blockade against Iran By Barak Ravid and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents, and Agencies Tags: Israel, Nancy Peloso  Prime Minister Ehud Olmert did not propose a U.S. naval blockade of Iran during talks with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat's office said on Thursday. Responding to a report this week in Haaretz, Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami said the lawmaker and the U.S. delegation she led met only once with Olmert during a May 16-20 visit to Israel and Iraq. "During the luncheon meeting with Prime Minister Olmert, there was never any mention of a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports," Elshami said in a statement. He declined to comment further. Advertisement Olmert has proposed in discussions with Pelosi that a naval blockade be imposed on Iran as one of several ways to pressure Iran into stopping its uranium enrichment program. Although the White House denied a published report that U.S. President George W. Bush intends to attack Iran before the end of his term in January, the Bush administration is said not to have ruled out entirely the possibility of an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. A story in the Jerusalem Post quoted an unidentified official as claiming that a "senior member" of Bush's entourage to Israel last week made the statement about attacking Iran in a closed meeting. However, White House press secretary Dana Perino said the article is "not worth the paper it's written on." She added that the administration's preference and actions for dealing with Iran remain through peaceful diplomatic means. Israelis who spoke to Bush and his entourage while they were in Israel last week said they had the impression that the military option "is on the table," and that the president felt a sense of deep obligation to overcome the Iranian threat. The Iranian issue was central in Olmert's meeting over lunch Monday with Pelosi, together with 12 other members of Congress in the bipartisan delegation Pelosi led. Among those present were House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman, and heads of the House Appropriations Committee, Nita Lowey and Gary Ackerman. "The present economic sanctions on Iran have exhausted themselves," Olmert told Pelosi, adding that the international community needed to take much more drastic steps to stop Iran's efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. Olmert also said there was a great deal of space between the present sanctions and military action. Aggressive action could be taken that was not violent, Olmert told Pelosi. Olmert's suggestions mainly involved continued efforts to isolate the Iranian regime. Olmert proposed two possible courses of action: first, a naval blockade of Iran using the U.S. fleet to limit the movement in and out of Iran of its merchant ships. The second option Olmert proposed was to place limitations on Iranian aircraft, business people and senior members of the regime at airports throughout the world. "Iranian businesspeople who would not be able to land anywhere in the world would pressure the regime," Olmert said. Members of the American delegation also spoke about how to pressure Iran. Pelosi herself said at a press conference Monday that a whole series of moves were on the table to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear status." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Wimbledon shocker Shahar Peer knocks out 9th-seed Safina to slide into the fourth round. Time to hit Iran Israel must destroy Iran's nuclear program within one year or risk being attacked.   1.   Don`t trust the US; don`t trust Israel; trust Haaretz 02:27  |  Chanalau, Tova 23/05/08   2.   Israel - You Are More Trouble Than You Are Worth 20:10  |  YesWeHaveNoBananas 30/06/08

Read & React Iran hands down death sentence to 'spy for Israel' Responses: 122 ANALYSIS / Prisoner swap is capitulation to blackmail by terrorists Responses: 62 Olmert: I voted for swap to prevent another Ron Arad Responses: 66 Editorial: Darfur is Israel's problem, too Responses: 39 Hamas worried about rise in support for religious sects Responses: 54 Rosner's Domain Israel's image still under renovation How "respectful" will the 2008 election be? (WTR) Poll: Hezbollah swap - good or bad? Can Israel legally strike Iran with nukes? Is Time's Joe Klein being honest when he criticizes Joe Lieberman? More Headlines 17:20 Olmert: I voted for swap to prevent another Ron Arad 19:25 New law stipulates: Territorial withdrawal only by referendum 15:31 Iran hands down death sentence to 'Israeli spy' 13:01 'Hezbollah to strike Israel if it doesn't get minefield maps' 18:03 Gaza reporter: Israeli security officials broke my ribs 16:08 Syrian FM: I wish Syria had Israel's nuclear arsenal 14:48 U.S. Jewish groups face cut-backs over plunging dollar 19:16 Forgotten boy becomes a Ben Gurion Airport security breach 13:10 ANALYSIS / Prisoner swap is capitulation to blackmail by terrorists 14:31 Government to hospitals: Get ready for major earthquake in north 17:38 Hamas: Kuntar deal sets precedent for release of Palestinian terrorists 15:00 Father headbutts Netanya headmistress at end-of-year event 17:01 Labor MK Danny Yatom slams government, resigns from politics 17:49 Burglars break into Cabinet Secretary's home, steal laptop Previous Editions Select Day 29 jun 27 jun 26 jun 25 jun 24 jun 23 jun 22 jun 20 jun 19 jun 18 jun 17 jun 16 jun

Special Offers Advertisement SAVE TALIA! and hundreds of cancer patients around the world Holyland Park Jerusalem Apartment Tower World Class Luxury In the heart of Tel-Aviv The Meier on Rothschild tower Jerusalem of Gold Luxury apartments in Jerusalem's finest location Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel

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