Israel Matzav

Peres to tell Obama what he wants to hear?

Haaretz is reporting that Israel's First Space Cadet™ is going to tell President Obama what he wants to hear and what Prime Minister Netanyahu won't tell him: That Israel will not attack Iran (Hat Tip: Jack W via Algemeiner Journal).

According to these officials, Peres is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's position on Iran, while Defense Minister Ehud Barak is perceived, at least by the Americans, as pushing for an attack.

Peres told officials that there is no point in what he called the "unceasing self-intimidation" being voiced by senior Israeli spokesmen. This is what he intends to tell Obama.

Peres has told officials that the recent threats by Israel are unnecessary warmongering and that Israel should leave the Iran issue to the superpowers, first and foremost the United States.

Peres leaves for the United States on Tuesday, and the following Sunday he is to meet with Obama in Washington on the sidelines of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference.

Peres' meeting with the U.S. president will take place a day before Netanyahu meets with Obama. Netanyahu will arrive in Washington after a visit to Canada.

The meeting between Peres and Obama will deal mainly with Iran, but also with the stalled negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

When Obama meets with Netanyahu, he will already know what Peres thinks - information he will use in his meeting with Netanyahu.

Peres is expected to tell Obama that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is still the best Palestinian partner with whom to reach a peace agreement.

On the one hand, Peres' position here is that of a figurehead - whatever he says is not binding. On the other hand, if Peres does say what this article has him saying to Obama, it will give Obama a club to use to beat Netanyahu during their meeting the next day.

Peres always was a snake.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Iranian nuclear threat, Israeli attack on Iran, Shimon Peres

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:21 AM