Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., June 10, 2008 Sivan 7, 5768 | | Israel Time: 14:30 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 12:19 05/06/2008
Olmert: We're close to stopping Iran's nuclear program
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Staff, and News Agencies
Tags: Israel, George Bush 

After his meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington on Wednesday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that the end of Iran's controversial nuclear program was approaching.

"With every day that passes, we are getting closer to stopping Iran's nuclear program," he said, adding that substantial steps were being taken to handle the Iranian threat in "a more effective manner."

Olmert added that, as a result of the hour-long meeting with Bush, there were fewer question marks between the two allies concerning the means, the time constraints, and the level of American determination in dealing with the Iranian nuclear program.
Advertisement
"Naturally the Iranian issue was central to our talks, and our shared point of departure is the need to deal with Iran before it manages to acquire non-conventional capabilities," Olmert told reporters.

He said the two leaders also discussed the talks with the Palestinians and Lebanon, and the U.S. president asked to be briefed on developments with Syria. "Every day that goes by we are making significant steps in dealing with this problem [Iran]. We, with the world under American leadership, are dealing with it in an effort to reach the goal which is to prevent Iran from acquiring [nuclear] arms," Olmert said.

"I do not think it is appropriate for Iran to know what we are doing," Olmert said, and described the cooperation with the United States on countering Iran's nuclear program.

Asked about Barack Obama's speech to the AIPAC conference vowing that Jerusalem will forever be Israel's undivided capital, Olmert said he did not hear the speech himself, but that "from what I heard they had impressive performances and I am very impressed by these declarations. I will speak with all of them by phone."

Bush to PM: 'Existential' Iran threat must be taken seriously
Bush told Olmert on Wednesday that Iran was an "existential threat to peace" and said the world must take that threat seriously.

"It is very important for the world to take the Iranian threat seriously, which the United States does," Bush said as he began White House talks with Olmert, visiting amid a corruption scandal at home that could drive him from office.

The Washington talks came a day after Olmert issued his toughest warning yet to Tehran, saying Iran's nuclear program must be stopped by "all possible means."

Bush assured Olmert, facing calls for his resignation over a corruption scandal that could disrupt the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, of the U.S. commitment to Israel.

Olmert, at Bush's side in the Oval Office, agreed that Iran poses "the main threat to all of us."

The prime minister also told the U.S. president that Israel appreciates the comments he made upon his visit to Israel last month, when he participated in celebrations of the country's 60th anniversary. Olmert told his host that Israel esteems his commitment to its security, and friendship toward it.

Bush also said the two would discuss Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts launched last November at an international conference in Annapolis, Maryland.

Related articles:
  • Olmert visits U.S. with focus on defense ties, thwarting Iran
  • Is an attack on Iran a big risk?
  • Livni brands Iran 'neighborhood bully'
  • Peres slams Ahmadinejad's attendance at UN food summit
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Sign of life
    Family of abducted IDF solider Gilad Shalit receives new sign of life.
    Happy Jews
    San Francisco museum details positive impact of Jews on city.
      1.   Missile defence shield. 06:41  |  Ian Moon 05/06/08
      2.   Olmert has NO MORAL RIGHT to be considered Prime Minister 07:26  |  Dolly 05/06/08
      3.   Nuclear Iran. 08:12  |  Jean Van Daem 05/06/08
      4.   America has no intention of attacking Iran 08:21  |  Natallie Durson 05/06/08
      5.   Remember this 08:28  |  Colin Wright 05/06/08
      6.   Question marks as to U.S. plans to confront Iran 09:30  |  Scott Havsy 05/06/08
      7.   Beautiful - it surely will be a day of celebration 10:09  |  Johnny 05/06/08
      8.   let hell break loose, if iran is attacked... 10:09  |  bashar 05/06/08
      9.   Scary 10:10  |  Angel 05/06/08
      10.   G-d willing this can be done in a peaceful manner 10:24  |  David G 05/06/08
      11.   Rising gas prices are Iran`s worst nightmare 10:29  |  Denise Thompson 05/06/08
      12.   Be careful what you ask for... 10:55  |  Cyrus 05/06/08
      13.   Isn`t he the one who said we`re close to ending Hamas rocketattak 11:10  |  Just Wondering 05/06/08
      14.   # 4 Natallie D. 11:11  |  Vinegar Hill, 05/06/08
      15.   #11 Denise 11:24  |  James 05/06/08
      16.   ISRAEL CAN STOP THIS MADNESS BY HELPING IRAN 11:26  |  Markus 05/06/08
      17.   Crazy Muslims, Jews and Christians will bring us WW3..... 11:41  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/06/08
      18.   Unbelievable declaration instead of, or to prevent, Olmert`s end? 11:48  |  S 05/06/08
      19.   No one Knows 11:57  |  guy 05/06/08
      20.   Now the Mullahs should act. But since the econmical 11:59  |  Jew- and Bookburner 05/06/08
      21.   warmongers in talkback 12:04  |  George 05/06/08
      22.   dealer wheeler olmert 12:15  |  mehmet 05/06/08
      23.   TheReal issue for the US..no Iranian nukes or. no Iranian oil/gas 12:20  |  Marco 05/06/08
      24.   Russia has its energy at home, US needs Iran`s energy. 12:22  |  Marco 05/06/08
      25.   And the sky is green, GW is not an idiont and he is not corrupt 12:30  |  Johan Odin 05/06/08
      26.   Russian Fuel 12:38  |  JJ 05/06/08
      27.   but hey Israel didnt bring a satelite into orbit to inspect flies 12:51  |  Marco 05/06/08
      28.   Iran Cannot be stopped 13:10  |  Adel 05/06/08
      29.   Really? 13:18  |  Walter Reid 05/06/08
      30.   novel ideas 13:33  |  allag 05/06/08
      31.   SURE THING MR OLMERT 13:38  |  Robert 05/06/08
      32.   iran 13:49  |  Dinki Di 05/06/08
      33.   scary is it angel? 14:06  |  Dnki Di 05/06/08
      34.   No Mention of the Saudis but they are there 14:21  |  Ronnie Wolman 05/06/08
      35.   After a month of bombing... 14:33  |  David Samson 05/06/08
      36.   Iran is NOT an American problem 14:44  |  Jack 05/06/08
      37.   TO NO 14. 15:02  |  DANNY. 05/06/08
      38.   Jack 36 with his head in the sand....Iran kills Americans 15:02  |  The Equalizer 05/06/08
      39.   TO NO 28 15:06  |  DANNY. 05/06/08
      40.   IRAN GET USED TO THIS KIND OF BULLY 15:11  |  indrajaya 05/06/08
      41.   Bye bye Iran 15:11  |  A Life 05/06/08
      42.   Olmert should take medication to cure his hallucination about Ira 15:12  |  Aounist 05/06/08
      43.   TO NO 33. 15:14  |  DANNY. 05/06/08
      44.   TO NO 34 RONNIE WOLMAN GOD BLESS YOU AND ALL YOUR FAMILY. 15:15  |  DANNY. 05/06/08
      45.   does anyone believe one word this traitorous gangster says? 15:16  |  chaim 05/06/08
      46.   Dreams not always come true Olmert 15:26  |  human rights 05/06/08
      47.   More rhetoric from Israel 15:26  |  Natallie Durson 05/06/08
      48.   Foolish talk 15:28  |  Joshua 05/06/08
      49.   We are closed to stop Olmert ! 15:34  |  Am Israel 05/06/08
      50.   #36 Iran is not your problem 15:42  |  Joshua 05/06/08
      51.   To Swiss Dino 15:44  |  Tim Abitaly 05/06/08
      52.   35 David: Month of Bombing? How that work against Hezbollah? 15:48  |  Tupac 05/06/08
      53.   El Baradei 15:48  |  Joe 05/06/08
      54.   Walk The Walk. 15:52  |  Cool B 05/06/08
      55.   #34 Ronnie Wolman, thanks for the link 15:57  |  JP 05/06/08
      56.   Olmert will go at Iran..HAS to... .. 16:02  |  Ali 05/06/08
      57.   #35 David Samson. And then......? 16:10  |  Johnboy 05/06/08
      58.   Bashar 8 16:13  |  Ordallie Nutcase 05/06/08
      59.   Jack Ocontraire, Israel now is saving you 16:13  |  Simon 05/06/08
      60.   By "All Possible Means" And... 16:16  |  Jeff Northridge 05/06/08
      61.   What bullies those two leaders are.... 16:20  |  Dutch 05/06/08
      62.   Not USA problem? 16:25  |  dinki di 05/06/08
      63.   #16 Marcus, welcome to fantasyland 16:32  |  DesMnsDave 05/06/08
      64.   #36, Jack still in denial? 16:32  |  DR 05/06/08
      65.   #36 Jack, if that is your real name 16:39  |  John Allen 05/06/08
      66.   DORIS CADIGAN THE BULLY 16:41  |  Michael 05/06/08
      67.   to jack 36 16:43  |  Dinki Di 05/06/08
      68.   How Israel can deal with the Iranian threat 16:43  |  Tosefta 05/06/08
      69.   malarky on all sides 16:55  |  Paul Freedman 05/06/08
      70.   Olmert repeating Sharon`s "good" advice on Iraq 17:08  |  Tosefta 05/06/08
      71.   What a palaver 17:14  |  Chris Linthwaite 05/06/08
      72.   Dutch welkom back 17:15  |  Dinki Di 05/06/08
      73.   tosefta zechariah 4:6 is my copyright on the site 17:18  |  byron 05/06/08
      74.   tosefta is it possible to have peace with the arabs? 17:23  |  byron 05/06/08
      75.   tosefta if the muslims were so open to peace 17:27  |  byron 05/06/08
      76.   Time is running out... 17:29  |  georges 05/06/08
      77.   johnboy it is as well to remember that iran sued for peace 17:30  |  byron 05/06/08
      78.   JP The Raal Links 17:35  |  Ronnie Wolman 05/06/08
      79.   johnboy "whoah it aint over yet" 17:36  |  byron 05/06/08
      80.   Natallie DURSON, U ARE THE BEST! 17:37  |  Warren 05/06/08
      81.   pray tell? 17:37  |  khairi janbek 05/06/08
      82.   johnboy "they hit you back" 17:40  |  byron 05/06/08
      83.   # 37 Danny 17:42  |  Vinegar Hill 05/06/08
      84.   Iran to Olmert: Too late to stop the iranian nuclear program 17:51  |  Aounist 05/06/08
      85.   most definite signal yet. iran to be massively bombed. 18:21  |  frenz 05/06/08
      86.   Let`s hope Olmert is better at stopping Iranina threat 18:31  |  * BEN JABO 05/06/08
      87.   Why is it 18:48  |  Joakim 05/06/08
      88.   Funny post! #11 Denise Thompson 18:48  |  Roo 05/06/08
      89.   In other words, Bush will set the world on fire 18:52  |  Edith 05/06/08
      90.   Would you buy a used car from Olmert? 18:57  |  W 05/06/08
      91.   to Johnboy who haven`t grown yet 19:00  |  Ben 05/06/08
      92.   To Adel 19:01  |  Oleg 05/06/08
      93.   # 66 I am surprized, Huefta, that in the end you did`t add... 19:09  |  misha 05/06/08
      94.   The bird may die 19:10  |  a voice 05/06/08
      95.   studid phrase 19:11  |  bj 05/06/08
      96.   Olmert is dreaming; No one can stop Irans nuclear ambitions 19:13  |  Yossi Cronenberg 05/06/08
      97.   how close are we.... a conspiracy Ronnie? 19:19  |  Iranian-American 05/06/08
      98.   Is Israel any closer to banning cluster munitions? 20:10  |  Ben Alofs 05/06/08
      99.   # 49 Tim Abitaly 20:11  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/06/08
      100.   #59 Oh yes, Dutch. Diplomacy has ALWAYS worked with Iran 20:13  |  DesMnsDave 05/06/08
      101.   Iran 20:29  |  Millicent 05/06/08
      102.   America And Israel Attack Iran -Not ! 20:36  |  Gary 05/06/08
      103.   #81 20:55  |  Joshua 05/06/08
      104.   Natallie Durson 22:12  |  missbeck 05/06/08
      105.   let hell break loose, if iran is attacked... 22:21  |  missbeck 05/06/08
      106.   warmongers in talkback 22:37  |  missbeck 05/06/08
      107.   Israeli Iranian War 22:40  |  Arab 05/06/08
      108.   #52 Cool B Are you sure? 23:13  |  DR 05/06/08
      109.   tosefta`s wishful thinking 00:30  |  gary 06/06/08
      110.   Olmert`s shared point of departure say it all, thankfully. 00:34  |  American in NY 06/06/08
      111.   I wouldn`t believe it either if not for what happened in Syria 01:12  |  Realist 06/06/08
      112.   Let the rogue state attack on it,s own-- 01:36  |  Labhras 06/06/08
      113.   No. 36 ------Jack 02:12  |  a wandering Jew 06/06/08
      114.   Cut off the head as well as the rest. 02:20  |  a wandering Jew 06/06/08
      115.   Olmert always dangling the promise 02:21  |  * BEN JABO 06/06/08
      116.   Swiss Dino 02:47  |  Philippe 06/06/08
      117.   IRAN KNOWS THAT OLMERT IS A DEFEATIST AND WEAKLING 03:44  |  HENRY MANN 06/06/08
      118.   THE LIAR MERT IS ONLY CLOSER IN HIS WORDS TO STOPPING A/MAD/JAD.. 04:14  |  glenna 06/06/08
      119.   #88 Wandering Jew 05:41  |  Jack 06/06/08
      120.   arab in ny 16:23  |  byron 06/06/08
      121.   Iran Nuclear Capability 18:20  |  Tanya Wilson 06/06/08
      122.   We`re Close ......saysOlmert........ 19:00  |  charlie 06/06/08
      123.   Maybe ISRAEL IS - but OLMERT ISN`T. 19:04  |  netta 06/06/08
      124.   Is Iran closer to its Goal than the World would know? 19:17  |  Dagma 06/06/08
      125.   No Way Out. for Israel 19:33  |  The Threadmill 06/06/08
      126.   Dear PM Olmert: We`re closer to RIDDING OURSELVES OF YOU 22:06  |  Hopefully! 06/06/08
      127.   No nukres in the MEA area 22:46  |  Ibi 07/06/08
      128.   wow 02:47  |  curious george 08/06/08
      129.   #125 Understatment of the week from Threadmill 14:01  |  Johnboy 10/06/08
     Read & React
    Shalit's father: Gilad begs for his life in new letter
    Responses: 84
    Israeli envoy to London: U.K. has become hotbed of anti-Israeli views
    Responses: 72
    Arab towns to hand out 'Nakba' alternative history booklet outside schools
    Responses: 28
    Moshe Arens: Israeli politicians using Iran threat to ignore Gaza rockets, cede Golan
    Responses: 18
    Amir Oren: Olmert is an albatross around neck of Washington
    Responses: 3
    Rosner's Domain
    On a par with the policies of President Bush
    Should you mess with the Zohan? (WTR)
    Poll: Philip Roth, Victor Frankl or Leon Uris?
    Obama and Jerusalem: did you really believe him?
    What did Obama say to Joe Lieberman? (WTR)


    More Headlines
    14:27 Hamas: IAF strike kills 3 Gaza mortar gunners
    13:35 Olmert, Livni and Barak debate: Truce or broad IDF op in Gaza
    13:04 Abducted soldier Shalit's father: Gilad begs for his life in new letter
    13:29 Mubarak stays away from Med union summit to shun Assad
    09:41 Congress gets behind Israel's aid request
    09:50 Israeli envoy to London: U.K. has become hotbed of radical anti-Israeli views
    14:18 Israeli TV commercial pokes fun at Iran nuclear threat
    14:20 Poll: 90% of public believes Israeli leadership rife with corruption
    11:48 Poland loses to Germany in Euro, as 1939 Nazi conquest again makes headlines
    10:58 Turkish, Israeli sources: Israel-Syria talks to resume Thursday
    12:51 Palestinians: Israel transfers delayed tax money, but millions missing
    11:52 Arab towns to distribute 'Nakba' alternative history booklet outside schools
    11:20 Interior Min. sets up unit to grant refugee status
    11:31 Jewish pilot tapped for U.S. Air Force chief position
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Jerusalem of Gold
    Luxury apartments in Jerusalem's finest location
    Your vacation starts here
    Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates
    Istudy
    Learn Hebrew in 3 months
    The Terraces
    Your Ultimate Coastal Address On Nitza Boulevard, North Netanya
    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