Ministers said to cite US president’s dialogue with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un as disturbing precedent, ‘but our capacity to influence and confront Trump is extremely limited’
By TOI STAFF 26 August 2019,
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly on September 26, 2018, at UN Headquarters. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci/File)
Israel is deeply worried by US President Donald Trump’s declared readinessin principle to meet in the near future with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, top ministers were quoted saying on Monday evening. The fear is that the US president will open a dialogue with Iran similar to the ongoing one he has with North Korea, taking pressure off Tehran.
To say that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is uncomfortable with the US president’s newly open-minded stance on Iran “is the understatement of the millennium,” Israel’s Channel 13 reported, quoting what it said were three senior cabinet ministers expressing profound concern that just as Trump has “gotten nowhere” with North Korea, while relieving the economic pressure on Pyongyang, the same would now happen with Iran.
“We have no interest in a negotiations between the United States and Iran,” the TV report quoted one minister saying, “but our capacity to influence and confront Trump is extremely limited.” This, the report went on, was because Trump has “bear-hugged” Netanyahu so tightly that going out against him is deemed impossible.
Netanyahu has been a strident opponent of the P5+1 countries’ 2015 deal with Iran on its rogue nuclear program, arguing that Tehran is intent on attaining a nuclear weapons arsenal, has lied to the world about its plans, and that the 2015 accord actually paves the way to an Iranian bomb. Trump has hitherto adopted a similar stance, and pulled the US out of the accord last year.
Trump declared Monday at the G7 talks in Biarritz, at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, that he would “certainly agree” to meet Rouhani soon under the “correct circumstances,” and that there was a “really good chance” this would happen.
This found an echo in Tehran, where Rouhani said more vaguely that he would not miss an opportunity to meet with someone who could help “the interests of the state” and solve some of its difficulties.
The dramatic change in tone from Washington came as Israel is grappling with soaring tensions relating to Iran, as underlined in a short video clip released by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening in which he fumed that “Iran is acting in a broad front to produce murderous terror attacks against Israel.”
Netanyahu vowed that “Israel will continue to defend its security by any means necessary,” and urged “the international community to act immediately to ensure Iran stops these attacks.”
On Saturday night, Israel preempted what it said was an Iranian plot to send several “killer drones” into Israel from Syria to attack military and civilian targets, and Israel has also allegedly targeted Iranian-linked sites in Iraq and Lebanon in recent days, drawing protests from political leaders in those countries and threats of revenge from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. The head of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, Qassem Soleimani, alleged by Israel to have personally overseen the drone plot, warned Sunday that Israel’s military strikes “will surely be the last steps of the Zionist regime.”
Israel is also grappling with rocket fire from Gaza and ongoing border riots, both orchestrated by the Iranian-backed Hamas and Islamic State terror groups.
Trump’s new conciliatory tone on Iran deals “a critical blow to Netanyahu’s narrative that he and Trump are completely in step on Iran,” Israel’s Channel 12 news noted Monday night, but added that the prime minister could hardly condemn his good friend. It also reported, however, that there was “some interest at the top” of the Israeli political hierarchy in having Trump start renegotiating terms, including on the nuclear deal, with Iran now rather than run the risk of a Democratic presidential victory in 2020 and a subsequent much worse arrangement with Tehran.
The Israeli cabinet has had several discussions about the prospect of US-Iran negotiations, Channel 13 reported, with ministers immensely concerned by the prospect.
It quoted an unnamed Israeli official saying that, “Our great fortune was that, until now, the Iranians refused to speak to Trump.” Macron’s invitation to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the G7 summit, and Trump’s readiness to meet with Rouhani, marks “the very moment Israel has worried about,” it said.
In his remarks in Biarritz, Macron said he was sure that Rouhani would respond positively to an offer of talks from Trump. The US president, for his part, praised Rouhani, saying, “I don’t know the gentleman. I’ll tell you one thing: he’s a great negotiator. I think he’s going to want to meet.”
Trump also indicated he might be open to Iran being offered “a short-term line of credit or loan” to help its economy. “We’re talking about a letter of credit,” he specified. “It would be from numerous countries.” Tehran “may need some money to get over a very rough patch” caused by US economic sanctions, he explained.
Noting that this was the same US president who had castigated then-president Barack Obama for making a “terrible” nuclear deal with Iran and paying Tehran vast sums of money, Channel 13 speculated that a Trump-Rouhani meeting could come as soon as next month, when the two leaders attend the annual UN General Assembly sessions.
It said Israel was pinning its hopes on Trump being deflected from his new course by National Security Adviser John Bolton. Bolton, it said, is “trying to prevent” the new Trump openness to Iran, “and he’s losing.”
Macron and other G-7 leaders opposed Trump’s decision last year to pull the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal and to impose new sanctions. They have been trying to salvage the treaty ever since. Netanyahu, by contrast, hailed Trump’s decision to withdraw from the deal, and has firmly backed Trump’s policy of “maximum pressure” on Tehran over its nuclear program.
@ Felix Quigley:
NO U.S. WARMING SINCE 2005
@ Felix Quigley:
THANKS FOR THE LINK FELIX…. IT SUPPORTS IF NOT PROVES WE ARE RIGHT AND YOU ALONG WITH ALL THE GLOBAL WARMING ZEALOTS ARE TOTALLY WRONG…..
Felix Quigley Said:
How can you say and defend that 1 degree is out of the normal and historical climate warming and cooling of the earth’s temp? How much of that one degree is caused bY man and or fossil fuels and carbon excess? By all scientifically credible accounts, carbon has little to no real effect on climate. Even if it did just plant billions of trees around the world and problem solved without destroying global economies and all of civilization AS WE KNOW IT UNNECESSARILY.
You will find a lot on Michaels including some from this interview with Levin on https://www.desmogblog.com/patrick-michaels
In it he says that 1 degree centigrade is not a lot. How can a scientist say that?
@ yamit82:
Michaels admits to getting 40% of his income from the petrol industry
quote
ZAKARIA: Let me ask you what people wonder about, advocates like you. They say —
MICHAELS: I’m advocating for efficiency.
ZAKARIA: Right. But people say that you’re advocating also for the current petroleum-based industry to stand pat, to stay as it is, and that a lot of your research is funded by these industries.
MICHAELS: Oh, no, no. First of all, what I’m saying is —
ZAKARIA: Well, is your research funded by these industries?
MICHAELS: Not largely. The fact of the matter is —
ZAKARIA: Can I ask you what percentage of your work is funded by the petroleum industry?
MICHAELS: I don’t know. 40 percent? I don’t know.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/climate-skeptic-pat-micha_b_684013?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmVzLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIyawgivPzbO_fTTwPLs13iOwe6pZLp1lcs94vg_-Ltx4lq2jBbl8-FhbOXwZGIuWhi3ipT3TT-pzbkztgDbjOJeKaVHLlfaFcDxxvUsQWLdV2J6rnSnIU-XE05C9hRLc95VkBPvD28yVzMcjvTKV6Qav7MR2Cle43ebn4YnBdQF
@ yamit82:
Global Warming Debunked | William Happer and Stefan Molyneux
Felix Quigley Said:
To save time show me yours and I will show you mine. For someone who refuses to watch a short clip by THE leading climatologist in the world, I won’t supply you with more till yu watch & post your response and refutation if you have one. 😛
@ Felix Quigley:
The video is the source…. Shows how closed-minded you are and even quite foolish to demand that which was given, not viewed but demanding sources as a knee jerk reaction to anything that might refute and debunk your religious zealotry.. That has always been the problem with you commies
Yamit…To save a lot of time and knowing your history of obfuscation give us a run down of climate events in the past 10,000 years and state how they compare with present facts as recorded on multiple sources
@ yamit82:
You did not really expect that to pass muster. Give some sources of this great climate model by Ivan. And some sources for these national models you allude to.
In other words Yamit source your dammed claims or stop wasting our time. Especially source your claim there of what is it .2 of a percent.
I will watch the video later and comment.
Felix Quigley Said:
The real Trump and his true colors will come to light and Israeli public notice when he releases (or tries to impose on us) his “DEAL OF THE CENTURY” A peace plan nobody asked for nobody wanted and is pure hubris on the part of Herr Trump. All of his concessions and moves towards Israel to date have been prepayments for the price Israel will now be required to repay to beneficient TRUMP. IN THE WORLD OF TRUMP THERE ARE NO FREE LUNCHES,
If the deal was good for Israel Trump would have announced it before the first Israeli election this year but since it would hurt BB they delayed publishing it. Any plan good for Israel would have given BB an unqualified advantage but now I think they have given up on BB’s chances and are willing to throw him under the bus. Just in “In this
“After US president toys with revealing details of the proposal before September election, Jason Greenblatt rules it out in tweet”
If the plan was good for Israel it would help BB and since it will be delayed till after the elections again speaks to its negative content for Israel.
@ roamnrab:
Yes
Bolton is not in any way an independent thinker. His role is to back up the President and he will not ever step outside of that role. To the left he is the “devil” but that is just in THEIR minds.
The problem here is that there have been too many Israelis who have built up Trump.
They have forgotten number one rule for any nation not just Israel. A nation no matter how small must maintain its independence.
It is the number one issue in every country in the world today.
Netanyhau is a long survivor but really and truly he is not that remarkable of a man at all.
We all know he should never be a leader of the Jews. We all know his real role which should always have been as a spokesman of a policy arrived at collegially.
It seems now that many problems begin to crowd in on Israel. These issues are now survival issues.
Why is my comment in moderation Ted????
Felix Quigley Said:
The religion of manmade climate change hoax is just that a hoax codified into a leftist religion. It’s called in the vernacular.”WEATHER” Weather changes and has since the beginning of time on this planet. We have always had droughts and extreme rainy wet seasons, Ice ages mini ice ages and extreme heating of the earth. How much is caused by man? According to independent non-vested interest scientists, man causes very little and the little that can be attached to man’s behavior is not something that can be controlled enough to make a difference. The effort that would go into strict control of behavior would bankrupt all Western economies and ignore by the poorest. All dire forecasts of gloom and doom re the effects of climate change are based on national or national funded computer models and all are fudged in favor of presenting a faulty extreme way out of real factual scientific models to which there is only one and that is I understand, the Russian model. Temp increase is only 0.03 not high enough to justify any hysteria as the leftist fear mongers would have us believe or accept.
Watch this Felix and learn something… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA5sGtj7QKQ
Felix Quigley Said:
Yes, he has become to his detriment very predictable. Now mostly discounted by his foes.
Felix Quigley Said:
I (sadly) endorse your statement.
Also, Bolton’s speech to allay our concerns was VERY WEAK, to put it mildly.
We Jews must put our trust ONLY in Hashem and (to a lesser extent) in our selves.
Add to all Yamit has said my own position, not his, climate change. I visited a piece of mountain territory in Murcia Spain this morning. Re the common almond tree, not a native of Spain, but are everywhere. These were grown trees…the ground totally arid, and hardly producing nuts, only a few, ground like dust. So poor the condition it was not even economical to harvest. The other method is a different plant type and water from aquifer, underneath, but that lasts just so long. Now project that to further south and you have billions knocking on door of Europe to get in and survive. In such consequences a man like Trump is just a temporary little wasp.
What Yamit has written especially on China 100%
These are scum. These are capitalism and stalinism without any shame.
And these North Koreans are more to be understood from the experience of Pol Pot
I am afraid that Netanyahu disarms Israel and Jews and means that Jews are no longer seeing things as they really are…Biggest problem is they are always looking for a prop.
Trump has becpome predictable. Big threats to begin…then sweetie sweetie.
yamit82 Said:
Should have read: Edgar G. Said:
Bear Klein Said:
It matters!! It shows that Kim is not only surviving but increasing his own military power and potential threats to … S-Korea, Japan and some 30K American Troops in the line of fire. Should hostilities break out All American Troops half of S Korea are dead and using nukes could seriously threaten retaliation against Japan all of S E Asian countries and the West coast of America as well…. There is no way America can stop N-Korea if it chooses to employ her forces, before the Koreans act. Trump took his foot off sanctions against N-Korea allowing China, Russia, and Iran to not only circumvent sanctions but to increase economic and military support allowing Kim to take most hard-line positions while playing on Herr Trump’s inflated ego. Sanctions against absolute dictatorships have never worked without a very credible military threat to back them up…. So Russia, China, Iran and N- Korea will survive sanctions unless they are overthrown from within, American democratic system precludes consistency of policy and favors all the bad players….
Edgar G. Said:
I think you are wrong and blinded by obvious personal projection. I only look empirical, measurable evidence and facts. Edgar G. Said:
His obsession with Putin is incomprehensible….
He talks the talk against China but allows them to enter America, Invest in key commercial, educational and military enterprises. He still is allowing Chinese students full access to American universities. Huawei is still being imported and marketed in America? Imports from China have increased not decreased. China is not only an economic threat to American global hegemony but a growing military threat as well. There will never be a deal with China, N-Korea, Russia or Iran along the lines Trump has and is advocating but anything less will be considered a failure and lead to worsening global and American positions in the future.
Trump is all over the place where he contradicts his own policies daily with ad-hoc pronouncements and moves… He does lie incessantly which detracts from his standing and credibility with both friends and supporters and foes alike. (See his statement re phone calls from China at G-7, denied by China) . Even Kellyann couldn’t defend his lies
He brags about his wall but has only less than a hundred miles built since he was elected…. His deficits have surpassed those of Obama since he took office. For two year he had majorities in both houses of congress but singed massive spending bills without funding for his wall…. Trump’s base will not be pleased with a few hundred miles of wall in four years on a 2000 mile border. Lack of wall construction can only partially be laid on the democrat door. His choices for positions in his government will go down in American history as the worst choices any American President has made and there are still too many bad operators still in place and operating against Trump the president personally and his stated agenda. No way to run a business no less a country….
8/28/2019
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/268012
@ Bear Klein:
BEAR- use common-sense…I used YOUR post to highlight the “unsourced” report… I didn’t consider it important enough for me to separately post that I believed that you guys are wrong about Trump. The context of all the above posts made similar points. So what about it.?? It seems that posters these days are in the mood to start fights by pil-pulim…
Are we all news piranhas to pounce on every fancied nuance to tear ourselves to shreds….?? If I want to see or hear that sort of thing-which I DON’T-…, I can switch to youtube and MSNBC
@ Edgar G.: You said,
Please let me know what I said was wrong about Trump in my comment above. You appear by the language used to be lumping me in with some other people. If I said something negative about Trump in the above comment what was it?
@ Bear Klein:
“Unsourced report”…….???
It doesn’t really matter what these rogue countries have, It will be picayune compared to any of the major states. And with Trump, they can’t mess around. He’s capable of launching a pin-point limited attack which will teach them a quick lesson. But not until all diplomacy has failed
His main objective is bettering his own country.
I think that all you guys are wrong about Trump. But it’s nice to let off steam about him, abuse him and etc. well knowing that he wont hear it. (and wouldn’t care if he did)…. Vicarious satisfaction… That’s what blogs are for…….!!
A benefit is that very often interesting, serious information comes from posters ….depending on who’s interested in “what”…. Personally I’ve learnt a lot from (some of) you guys, and also confirmed, or laid to rest, long-felt facts and /or “facts”……..
There’s nothing quite like being able to spout off about one’s opinion in 500 (generally ill) chosen words with no comeback.
Trump would be a fool to think Iran would do deal to get rid of their nuke plans and equipment forever plus their missiles. This is what he is demanding and they are saying we will talk after you get rid of the sanctions. So they get what they want in order to talk. I do not think he is this stupid.
He did not get rid of the sanctions to talk with North Korea.
Yet if reports from Japan are true that front is lost. North Korea now miniaturized nuclear warheads that fit on a missile according to Japanese intelligence. US and South Korea intelligence seem to concur.
The danger to Israel is that North Korea sells nukes to Iran.
“Japan defense white paper to concede North Korea has miniaturized nuclear warheads, report says
Reuters, Kyodo
Aug 21, 2019
Article history
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TOKYO/BEIJING – Japan has upgraded its estimate of North Korea’s nuclear weapons capability in an upcoming annual defense white paper, saying it seems Pyongyang has already achieved the miniaturization of warheads, the Yomiuri newspaper said in an unsourced report Wednesday.”https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/08/21/national/japan-north-korea-nuclear-warheads/#.XWWX7Ed7nIU
Israel’s leverage over Trump is his stalwart Evangelical base… Besides being 80-90% supportive of Trump they are also near 100% supportive of Israel and totally opposed to territorial concessions. If Trump is seen to be betraying Israel, most will still sick with Trump but if he loses 10% or more of their support he could lose the election. Logically I see no reason now to try to solve our problem with the Arabs. No pressing need, not supported by any side especially not Israel and no matter what… is doomed to fail… The only reason I can come up with is Hubris and Ego of Herr Trump!! His unwanted and unwise meddling in our affairs will get many Jews killed… His recognition of Jerusalem has not changed our geopolitical position nor that of recognizing our sovereignty over the Golan. Upon those moves more beneficial to Trump than to Israel Trump will soon demand his pound of flesh from Israel.. BB will comply with his demands and I hope he is voted out in the coming election
This is exactly accurate. I warned that Trump would be the downfall of Israel. TRUMP WILL BE THE END OF ISRAEL!
Above all I said that Israel at every point had to preserve its independence. This was completely at variance with Ted Belman and it also shows what a scam Belman has been involved in concerning Jordan. Ever since Caroline Glick embedded herself in with the American Army in the overthrow of Saddam in 2003 I have been wary of these circles that Belman walks among.
As Belman has been involving himself and his website in this scam the eye has been taken away from the biggest danger…Trump.