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Jerusalem senses US worried Israel preparing Iran attackChannel 2: Tehran might suspend enrichment in exchange for lifting sanctionsBy ICEJ News Earlier this week, Bush said all means will be considered to stop Iran from achieving nuclear status but a military response is not the preferred option right now. "I have made it very clear to all parties that the first option ought to be solving this problem diplomatically," said Bush. "And the best way to solve it diplomatically is for the United States to work with other nations to send a focused message - and that is: You will be isolated, and you will have economic hardship, if you continue to enrich" uranium for a nuclear bomb. Later that same day, Mullen said that an Israeli attack on Iran would shake the Middle East. When asked about reports Israel would attack by the end of 2008, Mullen answered: “This is a very unstable part of the world and I don't need it to be more unstable." The two leaders' comments come in the wake of a large Israeli Air Force exercise over the eastern Mediterranean that some viewed as a "dress reheasal" for long-range air strikes on Iran. In addition, cabinet minister Shaul Mofaz, a former IDF chief-of-staff, recently said Israel may have little choice but to attack Iran since the other alternatives are not working. While a visit to Israel by the top Pentagon officer is rare, Mullen has come to Jerusalem twice in the past month, reportedly to discuss the Iran issue. Mullen's most recent remarks, made in a news conference, indicated he was not at peace about what he was told while in Jerusalem, Israeli officials said Thursday, according to The Jerusalem Post. One of his reasons for re-visiting Israel was to verify if Mofaz's statements were “just words” or showed true focus. "All this is designed to throw cold water on any possible Israeli intentions," said the officials. “They are worried by the atmosphere in Israel, and that reports of an inevitable attack have suddenly started to dominate the debate." Meanwhile, Israel TV Channel 2 reported on yesterday that Iran has shown a willingness to halt its uranium enrichment program in exchange for removing UN and other sanctions imposed on its nuclear program. Anonymous Western officials cited in the report said Iran has shown a readiness to accept the incentives package recently presented by the EU in exchange for stopping its uranium enrichment activities. A spokesman for the US State Department said Washington would continue to refuse direct talks with Iran on its nuclear ambitions until Tehran first agrees to suspend its uranium enrichment program. |
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