Netanyahu to ask Obama to block measures over Israel's nuclear program
The prime minister will meet with the U.S. president at the White House on Tuesday, after the U.S. backed a call for inspection of Israeli nuclear installations at the NPT Review Conference.
By Barak Ravid, Yossi Melman and Amir Oren Tags: Israel news Israel US Benjamin Netanyahu Barack ObamaPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will ask for clarifications about the U.S. position on the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference when he meets with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday.
Review Conference participants decided that the nuclear reactors in Dimona and Sorek should be brought under the international inspection regime.
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U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office last year. |
| Photo by: The White House |
A senior Israeli official said Netanyahu will ask Obama for American guarantees to block any practical measures, including an international conference on the matter.
The Review Conference was held at the UN headquarters in New York. Its conclusions included a number of decisions that affect Israel: It called for an international conference in 2012 for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons; it called on Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and open its nuclear installations to international inspection; and it called for the appointment of a special UN envoy on nuclear weapons in the Middle East.
Saturday, sources in Jerusalem expressed disappointed over U.S. conduct on the matter. A senior Israeli official described the American behavior as "surrender and bowing to pressure."
The senior official said Israel has held intensive exchanges with the U.S. in recent days in an effort to foil the anti-Israel initiative, but the Americans chose to make a statement that fits the international consensus, even though this went against Israeli interests.
"We have explained to the Americans over and over that preserving Israel's security is the most basic precondition for progress in the peace process," said a senior Israeli official. "This decision will make it difficult for us to do this."
The U.S. administration announced after the conference ended late last week that it would not support an international conference on a nuclear-weapon free Middle East without coordinating with Israel. National Security Adviser James Jones said the fact that Israel was named in the concluding statements of the conference raises doubts about holding an international conference in 2012.
Jones said the U.S. would ensure that such a conference would take place only if all the countries feel secure to participate.
Israel said Saturday that it has no intention to fulfill the decision of the Review Conference to the NPT, which calls on it to allow international inspection at its nuclear installations.
"This resolution is deeply flawed and hypocritical," an official statement by the Prime Minister's Bureau read.
"It singles out Israel, the Middle East's only true democracy and the only country threatened with annihilation. Yet the terrorist regime in Iran, which is racing to develop nuclear weapons and openly threatens to wipe Israel off the map, is not even mentioned in the resolution. The real problem with weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East does not relate to Israel but to those countries that have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT ) and brazenly violated it - Iraq under Sadaam, Libya, Syria and Iran."
Israel is not a signatory to the NPT and is therefore not obligated by the decisions of the conference. Nonetheless, the resolution was passed unanimously by the 189 signatories to the NPT that participated in the Review Conference.
The draft resolution that was accepted was an initiative of Egypt, which heads the largest block comprising 110 Non-Aligned states.
Israel did not participate in the conference since it is not part of the NPT, and the U.S. agreed to the final draft of the resolution following a threat by the Non-Aligned states that unless the Egyptian initiative was accepted they would veto any other draft and foil the conference.
The proposed 2012 conference is meant to include all countries of the Middle East, including Iran. However, it is doubtful whether Iran will agree to participate in the same conference as Israel, even though in an international nuclear disarmament conference held in Cairo last December, Iranian representatives and Israeli officials from the Atomic Energy Commission took part, and even conversed.
President Obama welcomed the decision of the conference, and said that there are balanced steps that will further the prevention of nuclear proliferation and the furtherance of peaceful nuclear energy. However, Obama also said that he is opposed to the singling out of Israel and is opposed to any step that will threaten its security.
Obama noted that the gravest threat to Middle East peace is if Iran does not abide by its obligations as a signatory of the NPT.
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Barak Ravid
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"...We strongly oppose efforts to single out Israel, and will oppose actions that jeopardize Israel’s national security, ...the greatest threat to proliferation in the Middle East, and to the NPT, is Iran’s failure to live up to its NPT obligations." ..... This couldn't be clearer: First to live up to the NPT obligations must be Iran! And Israel's security shall not be jeopardized.
Has Isrrael threatened any country with destruction and elimination? Has Israel opened its hospitals and universities to its enemies?
why does israel insist on asking the US to do all its bidding but kicks the US in the face. Obama is right. we cannot support a country with 3 billion a year, security and weapons yet they hate the US and show us no respect. let israel prove its worth of our support.
How many countries in the ME haven't they attacked overtly or clandestinely? You need to get your warmongers out of power, just like we need to get ours out of power. Both have neocon problems.
israel is a sovereign state. as a sovereign state, israel chooses which treaties it adheres. as a sovereign state, israel cannot be forced to adhere to any treaties. nor can israel be forced to attend any confrences on any matters that israel deems is contrary to her national security. asking obama for clarifications will only open the door to further manipulations and humiliations. the entire meeting is a mistake for israel.
Soon....very soon
This policy of maybe we have maybe we don't which has given way to maybe we have, then we have is way out there yonder pardner. Am I a self-hating Jew because I am for all accounts made by Israel, as well as every other nation? Another imponderable by a country that could be showing a little more international respect. That's absurd to expect. Keep swirling. Dizzy place.
Obama should act like Bush towards Israel.
...behind of some of the most important symbols of renewed Jewish sovereignty in the Jewish homeland. Jews, wake up before it is too late. Don't repeat the silence of the Jewish leadership of the 1930s and 1940s....!!!
And take responsibility for your actions..Stop whining and running to the USA for protection...you know it leads to you hating us more! TATA.
I hope Obama's answer to Netanyahu is "well we may be more inclined tohelp you if you were to respond to our questions or take the Peace process seriously. Why dont you go back to Israel and get back to us on the question we asked you, then we will talk about this".
israel has defined the art if hubris. israel can have the bomb, but no one else can. now lets see how much the israeli tail can wag the american dog.
First, Arab states must scrap their stocks of chemical weapons...
Wait a minute, wasn't it then Defense Minister Shimon Peres' signature on those nuke documents signed with South Africa under Apartheid?!? Yes, Israel was made into a known proliferator. SECMENT (deal for Botha for nuclear-capable missiles) on March 31, 1975. And CHALET on June 4, 1975 (deal with Botha for nuclear warheads). Here's one signer page: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/23/israel-south-africa-nuclear-weapons More info here: http://bit.ly/cctynT And the book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375425462
I thought Israel didn't need any Stinking United States? Where is the blatant contempt Netanyahu showed for America last year? What happened to Israel's overwhelming concern about the possibility of Iran developing nuclear weapons? Why can't Israel simply follow the example of China which approved of the NPT while retaining it's right to keep it's nuclear weapons production capability secret? What is there about reality that Israel cannot accept? Is it not time to destroy the absurd 'hypocrisy' argument and admit to reality Israel? Is it possible that Israel has been hiding something for half a century? Not nukes, but that it has no nukes? I don't think so. I hope not. But that does not change the fact that Israel is so out of touch with reality that it cannot admit reality exists. That is dangerously out of touch.
Israel is only true democracy in Middle East but has too many black marks against it. I do not think anyone believes it should be specially treated.
nothing can put it back together. He is late to the table with demands, concerted effort to smear Israel, and preparations to attack proud Jewish state. His is burning engines of own machine with horrible wave of Anti - Semitism in own country, unheard of in ages. With Jewish business singled out in the streets. America will not bode well with this shame. Whether he resigns tomorrow or survives for another 7 years. America needs leaders that lead us on the moon. Not leaders leading us with stones in Jewish cafe.
Netanhyahu repeatedly can't do anything with his onw Right, but seeks to play National Politics in the US, with their own Right. Israel shouldn't act as an Nth US state, unless it absolutely wants to be a lightning rod. Israel shouldn't outwardly promote nuclear escalation in the Middle-East, unless it is absolutely sure it will win the game.
Obama's threats and warnings are becoming meaningless. He has the appearances of a man without any firm convictions. He has shown he will back away from any potential confrontation that might require him to go to the mat for his interests, Netanyahu now feels assured he has Obama sized up and he will buckle when pressure is applied and he will demonstrate this when he walks away from their meeting satisfied that the status quo remains intact. But, I suspect the world will take note of our weak, vacillating president and begin to form policies, without and contrary to U.S. input.
The current regime in Israel is singling itself out for isolation and delegitimization...how unschooled in the art of diplomacy these little boys are..how little they seem to care for the future of israels people
Can anyone tell when Israel become the 51st to the USA? Everything is always about Israel. Anyway, if we're ever going to have a nuclear free world all countries, including Israel must comply with the NPT and open up their nuclear facilities for inspections and verifications, period.
Makes sense that the Jewish people whose brilliance/madness invented nuclear technology would possess the technology and nuclear weapons. What is all the fuss?
Give The USA/Obama something to think about in the mean time! I hate what Obama is doing to the relationship between us and Israel!
And I'm sure he hates what Israel does to the Palestinians
My country's support for Israel is an albatross around our necks.
What counts is not arms a country has but how they use it. Israel has conducted itself with utmost repsonsiblity and restraint.
and all those nuke and conventional weapon deals with Botha in South Africa under Apartheid... Hypocritical?
When you offer to sell not just technology but actual warheads and the means to deliver them it is hardly responsible. One must wonder if this offer has been made to other countries.
Israel is the only nation possessing a nuclear arsenal that insists on playing childish games concerning their existence. Israelis believe that this gives them some sort of edge over the goyim world, although this edge exists only in their minds. In reality, the world thinks less of Israel for playing games with nukes rather than being honest and straightforward. Good guys don't need to lie and deceive.
We really don't care what you think of Israel. You are irrelevant.
What if Israel's 40 year old pretension to having nuclear weapons is a lie? Perhaps the only rational reason to still pursue 'ambiguity' after 40 years of covert, almost overt, seeding of the idea that Israel has nukes quite contrary. Perhaps for 40 years Israeli propagandists have been sowing the idea that Israel has nukes to terrify the Arab world and Israel has none. What OTHER rational explanation could exist for Israel to continue to deny it has nukes? I don't believe it. I have seen the satellite photos of [CENSORED] and think that is clearly a nuclear weapons plant. But still Israel ACTS like it is lying about nukes. Either it is lying about having them, or lying about having them. Take your pick.
Sweet naive kid. I wish I lived in your world. It is a nice dream.
I wonder... the US is finally trying to bring justice in the Middle east??????
We haven't made any real attempts to bring justice to the ME. If we had, then we would have been MUCH harsher on Israel than we have been. They have been using our money and weapons to uphold a decades long brutal and racist occupation, and haven't made any real attempts to make peace with the Palestinians. And when the rare brave Israeli leader does arrive, who is genuinely interested in peace, some right wing Israeli terrorist murders him. The brutal and racist occupation continues, and we continue to turn a blind eye, while trying to appear to be tough on Israel. Justice? Won't happen until we finally hold Israel accountable for once.
.............america came to its senses.
exactly what Netanyahoo did with respect to Jerusalem construction...politely show the man the door, and counsel him not to let it hit him in the ass as he walks out. Israel: Do your own wet work, and do it on your own dime....The Cold War is over, and you are no longer an asset. You are a liability. That's realpoilitik.
This may be beginning to give the US a foot to stand on when dealing with Iran (I say beginning to give a foot), Even starting to show balance. Ok Israel can say they are being singled out in this one forum but the political arena is much bigger then this one forum. I don't see the scale having all the weight on the Israeli side but rather most on Iran with some balancing finally laid on the Israeli side. Nice to see. Not because Israel was singled out but because it begins to bring some balance balance to the whole arena.
Israel wants it's self held out as special and wants Iran singled out. Such arrogance to think Israel can set preconditions for American treaties! It's time to serve up sticks, not carrots. Every appeasement Obama makes he loses power. It's only Israel that doesn't view the carrots as carrots but sticks. Can you Isrealis please vote for a peace candidate?
YES IT DOES! G.d, these people have their heads so far under the sand. The Middle East INCLUDES Israel. You cannot say that Iran CAN'T have nukes while saying that Israel CAN. The international community has had enough. America has a choice: side with THE ENTIRE WORLD, or side with Israel. If it chooses wrongly, it is going to lose even more of its relevance. Tick tock, Obama...
"the U.S. agreed to the final draft of the resolution following a THREAT by the Non-Aligned states (most of whom are Muslim) that unless the Egyptian initiative was accepted they would veto any other draft and foil the conference." Sounds more like extortion than "pressure." And once again the gutless US administration (aka Obama) struts off the stage with an, "Oh, well, sorry 'bout that!"
Nobody blindsides Israel. Except the Likud Party.
Blindsiding Israel is not the issue; the issue is who, altogether, is attempting to blindside the vast majority of 300,000,000 Americans, 280,000,000 of whom are gentiles.
stop spending my health savings for your war in Iraq. Once you figure out what this is about you can look over the fence in Israel's backyard.
no one has a right to prevent issael fro defeding itself. no more hollocausets
2 reasons why israel won't come to the party, 1 they don't want to divulge where their nukes are or 2 they don't want the world to know how few they actually have, either way, americas support for a rogue nation will leave it open to terrorist attacks, it's a lose lose situation for america, as long as they pay the price and not israel.
who is running our policies the US or isreal? who did we vote for obama or natanyahu?
I would vote for Natanyahu over Obama.
He who has paid the piper calls the tune.
The US is paying a steep price for voting for Obama. Not to worry, November's around the corner, the gig is up. Hang tough, Israel.
The US is paying a steep price for voting for Obama. Not to worry, November's around the corner, the gig is up. Hang tough, Israel.
Israel is the only country the world (189 countries) knows has nukes but won't admit it does. But somehow Iran is the most pressing threat? 189 countries think otherwise and it's not in America's global security interest to keep going along with this charade.
True but Isreal does not threaten other countries with nuclear anahilation on a regular basis and has never resorted to there use even when facing dire situations as in 1973.
And it will not happen thanks to the things you want to deny us.
Unreal. Poor Israel, it is going down and it still thinks nobody else in the ME can have nukes.
The idea that Israel has nukes has prevented any war against Israel by people not occupied by Israel since 1973. That alone is a positive effect of the idea that Israel has nukes.
Poor little Israel. We can let Iran have any nucear capability but when Israel is under the spotlight, we must bow down to Israel and it's wishes.
They have 2343324 nuclear weapos. Poor countries indeed.
It's getting awkward, isn't it, to defend the indefensible.