BICOM

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will push for a tougher US position on Iran in meetings with US President Barack Obama in Washington on 5 March, according to a senior Israeli official cited in Haaretz.

According to the official, Israel wants the US to make a stronger declaration than the vague assertion that “all options are on the table.” In particular, Netanyahu wants Obama to state that the US is preparing for a military strike in the event Iran crosses certain “red lines.” Israel feels this will increase pressure on Iran by making clear that there exists a real US threat, the official said.

According to reports this morning in Haaretz and Israel Hayom, the White House yesterday proposed to the Prime Minister’s Office that the two leaders release a joint-statement following their meeting. The goal of the statement would be to present a single US-Israeli front in order to leverage pressure on Iran. ‎‎At this stage, however, there is still no agreement on the wording of the joint-statement. US officials have indicated that there is disagreement over the wording of the statement related to Israel’s demand that a sharply worded statement against Iran. Israel wants the statement to clarify that if sanctions do not stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons the US will consider military action against Tehran.

The statement will be made after three speeches, to be given by President Obama, PM Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres. All three will speak early next week in Washington at the AIPAC conference.