Middle East

Regarding Iran, did Obama and Netanyahu agree on red lines?

By Matthew RJ Brodsky WASHINGTON, D.C. — Iran’s steady march towards building a nuclear weapon dominated the 2012 American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) policy convention in Washington, DC. It also was the focus of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with President Obama on Monday afternoon, March 5. A day earlier, Obama declared at the […]

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Middle East

Pondering possible worldwide consequences of an attack on Iran

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Among the responses to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s appearance at the recent AIPAC convention are assertions that Israelis must be aware of the costs of an attack on Iran. They come from the the Foreign Minister of France, various unnamed sources said to be high in the American administration, plus a growing list

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Some words to Obama that Netanyahu might have added

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Here are some comments that Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu perhaps should have added in his talk with U.S. President Barack Obama earlier this week: “Mr. President, you live in a big country: wide and long with friendly neighbors and oceans. The distance of your journey from Honolulu to

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen

Text of Netanyahu’s AIPAC speech on the threat of Iran

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following is the text of the speech Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu delivered to delegates of the America Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Monday: I want to thank you for this wonderful reception. With applause that could be heard as far away as Jerusalem. That’s Jerusalem, the eternal united capital of

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Middle East

Parsing Netanyahu’s speech: did he throw down a gauntlet?

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to AIPAC speaks for itself. Almost. There is enough there for several interpretations ranging to 180 degrees difference one from the other. http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahus-speech-at-aipac-full-text/ There is praise for Barack Obama. On the other hand, the speech begins with a Holocaust story, of a small boy (Yossi Peled)

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

‘Israel must reserve the right to defend itself’ — Netanyahu

  WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, March 5,  made the following remarks at the start of his meeting with US President Barack Obama: “The alliance between our two countries is deeply appreciated by me and by everyone in Israel.  And I think that, as you said, when Americans look around the Middle

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Middle East

Shimon Peres: Peace is the first option, but if war comes Israel will prevail

  WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — Following is the text of the speech delivered by President Shimon Peres of Israel at the America Israel Public Affairs Committee’s annual meeting: As The President of the State of Israel I came here first and foremost to say on behalf of my people:   “Toda”  “Thank You”.   Thank

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Middle East

U.S. temporizing may prompt Israel to go it alone against Iran

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM -Two items in recent days have put the issue of Israel, Iran, and the United States in clearer perspective.One comes from a former head of Israeli military intelligence, a man widely respected for his judgment, and not regarded as a hawk. The other comes from the New York Times journalist who

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East