Israeli PM arrives in Washington for talks with Obama
by Reuters
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed in Washington DC on Monday ahead of a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, where they are widely expected to discuss the possibility of military action against Iran's nuclear programme.
Even though Obama has offered assurances of stiffened U.S. resolve against Iran before the White House meeting, the two allies are still far apart on explicit nuclear "red lines" that Tehran must not be allowed to cross, and they have yet to agree on a time frame for when military action may be necessary.
Obama wants Israel to hold off on attacking Iran's nuclear sites, insisting there is still time for sanctions and diplomacy to work.
But he also vowed in a speech on Sunday to the largest U.S. pro-Israel lobby that he would be ready to act militarily - with all "elements of American power" - to prevent the Islamic republic from building an atomic bomb.
Israeli leaders, who see Iran's nuclear advances as a looming existential threat and reserve the right to act alone in self-defence, have made clear they are operating on a far shorter, more urgent timeline.
Their most immediate concern is that Iran be prevented from reaching nuclear weapons capability, not just from developing an actual device, and they worry that time is running out for an effective Israeli attack as Tehran buries its nuclear facilities deeper underground.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed in Washington DC on Monday ahead of a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, where they are widely expected to discuss the possibility of military action against Iran's nuclear programme.
Even though Obama has offered assurances of stiffened U.S. resolve against Iran before the White House meeting, the two allies are still far apart on explicit nuclear "red lines" that Tehran must not be allowed to cross, and they have yet to agree on a time frame for when military action may be necessary.
Obama wants Israel to hold off on attacking Iran's nuclear sites, insisting there is still time for sanctions and diplomacy to work.
But he also vowed in a speech on Sunday to the largest U.S. pro-Israel lobby that he would be ready to act militarily - with all "elements of American power" - to prevent the Islamic republic from building an atomic bomb.
Israeli leaders, who see Iran's nuclear advances as a looming existential threat and reserve the right to act alone in self-defence, have made clear they are operating on a far shorter, more urgent timeline.
Their most immediate concern is that Iran be prevented from reaching nuclear weapons capability, not just from developing an actual device, and they worry that time is running out for an effective Israeli attack as Tehran buries its nuclear facilities deeper underground.