BICOM

Israel’s President Shimon Peres is expected to tell US President Barack Obama next month that he does not believe Israel should attack Iran in the near future, according to diplomatic officials cited in Haaretz.

According to these officials, who are familiar with the Israeli President’s positions and are helping prepare for the Obama meeting, Peres has been privy to all sensitive information involving Tehran’s nuclear programme and is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s position on Iran.

Peres has told officials that the recent threats by Israeli spokesmen are unnecessary and that the issue is best handled by the US.

The meeting between Peres and Obama will deal mainly with Iran, but also with the stalled negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. According to the Haaretz report, Peres is expected to tell Obama that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is the best partner with whom to reach a peace agreement.

Peres leaves for the US 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.