Biden arrives on mission to reassure Israel on Iran

By ICEJ News

08 Mar 2010

US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Israel late Monday afternoon on a mission to reassure a close American ally on the Iranian nuclear threat after a rocky first year for the Obama administration in its approach to the volatile Middle East. During his four-day regional swing, Biden will meet with senior leaders in Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan and help re-launch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. But media reports indicate Biden’s primary objective is to boost Israeli confidence in the Obama administration, particularly about Iran. In an interview with the Hebrew daily Yediot Ahronot given before his departure for the region, Vice President Joe Biden insisted: "I can promise the Israeli people that we will confront, as allies, any security challenge it will face. A nuclear-armed Iran would constitute a threat not only to Israel - it would also constitute a threat to the United States." He noted that the Obama team has boosted US defense ties to Israel. But some analysts are calling Biden’s visit a “bear hug,” as he is widely expected to caution Israel not to launch pre-emptive strikes against Iran.

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