Israel Matzav

Oh my... Israeli opposition demands US commit in advance to support Israeli strike on Iran

Either Tzipi Livni and Buzi Herzog finally figured out which way the Israeli political winds are blowing, or there's been a massive double cross of US President Hussein Obama. Or perhaps it's a combination of both. In any event, Livni and Herzog, who were backed by Obama in our recent Knesset elections, have issued a position paper which demands that the United States commit in advance to supporting an Israeli strike on Iran.

The crux of Herzog and Livni's plan is a call on the American administration to commit in advance to approve an Israeli military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities if Iran violates the framework agreement signed a week and a half ago by trying to produce nuclear weapons. 

The document was split into three sections: In the first section, the Zionist Union criticizes Israel's current official position, which takes serious issue with the framework agreement reached between world powers reached and Iran, but fails to articulate improvements.

Their own position paper, they claim, constitutes a practical and detailed proposal to what is considered a "good deal".
"Incessant criticism without constructive suggestions could leave us at a loss," Herzog told Ynet. "To prevent that we must have a brave and comprehensive dialogue with the US, down to the last detail," he said.
The second part of the position paper presents suggestions on how to "close the loopholes" in the framework agreement and improve upon its different sections. The proposed improvements mostly focus on the conditions and limitations on easing the sanctions on Iran.
The Zionist Union demands that "the removal of sanctions will only be done gradually in a predefined framework coinciding with the Iranian deal," the document said demanding that should Iran fail to make good on its part of the deal sanctions will be automatically reinstated in full force.
The document also calls for enhanced oversight capabilities for the UN nuclear watchdog – the IAEA – including access to officials, documents and sites in which alleged Iranian nuclear activity is taking place.
The third part of the document focuses on rehabilitating US-Israel ties, and improviing coordination over Iran while the deal is being implemented.
According to the opposition leaders, "Israel must change its regional strategy… and work to strengthen ties with the moderate forces in the region," a move they say will curb not only Iran's nuclear program, but its destabilizing activates in the area through local proxies.
"We must act quickly to change the final deal, and raise the price of its infringement," Herzog said, indicating the deal itself was not the true problem, but the aforementioned 'loopholes'. He said that only a "painful" cost to Iran in the case of a breach in the agreement would safeguard Israel's security.
The position paper was released after party members received requests to issue the Zionist Union's official position on the framework agreement.  

Has the 'Zionist Union' finally understood that Israelis won't accept Obama's position on Iran? Or are they just trying to position themselves for what they hope will eventually be a 'unity government'? Either way, this is a massive defeat for the Obama administration, which has tried to depict Prime Minister Netanyahu as a lone wolf in opposing the Iranian nuclear deal. 

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Iranian nuclear threat, Labor party, Tzipi Livni, Yitzchak Herzog

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:30 AM