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> US resists Israel call for tough line on Iran
> By Daniel Dombey in Washington and Tobias Buck in Jerusalem
> Published: November 8 2010 18:37 | Last updated: November 8 2010 18:37
> The US has pushed back at an Israeli attempt to convince Barack
> Obama, president, to make a “credible military threat” against Iran,
> in a sign of enduring tensions about how to handle Tehran’s nuclear
> programme.
>
> Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, told Joe Biden, US vice-
> president, at a weekend meeting in New Orleans that Washington
> should use tougher language and set out a clearer timeline in the
> dispute. In particular, he argued that only a “credible military
> threat” would convince Tehran to change course.
>
> But, asked about Mr Netanyahu’s position, Robert Gates, US defence
> secretary, set out US resistance to the Israeli arguments.
>
> “I disagree that only a credible military threat can get Iran to
> take the actions that it needs to, to end its nuclear weapons
> programme,” he said on Monday at a ministerial meeting in Australia.
> “We are prepared to do what is necessary, but at this point, we
> continue to believe that the political, economic approach that we
> are taking is, in fact, having an impact in Iran.”
>
> The US maintains “all options are on the table” – an implicit
> reference to military force – and argues there is still time for
> diplomacy. Washington hopes negotiations between Iran and the
> world’s big powers will start in coming weeks.
>
> “We’ve made it clear we would welcome a return to the negotiating
> table,” said Hillary Clinton, US secretary of state, at the same
> meeting as Mr Gates. But she added that the Iranians had not yet
> come up with a date for talks.
>
> The Israeli move comes in parallel with a push by US senators such
> as John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman for Mr Obama to
> talk more about his readiness to take military action.
>
> But Israelis add that co-operation with the US on Iran has
> intensified in the wake of Iran’s presidential elections last year,
> the subsequent discovery of a secret Iranian enrichment plant and
> the Obama administration’s success in pushing through new sanctions.
>
> “It’s good that United Nations sanctions and other measures are
> going well, but we can’t just sit back and wait for a miracle: more
> pressure has to be built up,” said an Israeli official. “One of the
> ways is the use of language and showing the seriousness of the
> international community’s intentions.”
>
> Separately, the Israeli government has revealed plans to build 983
> new housing units for Jewish settlers in occupied East Jerusalem, in
> a move likely to deal a fresh blow to US diplomatic efforts aimed at
> reviving the deadlocked peace talks between Israel and the
> Palestinians.
>
> The building plans – which would mean a significant expansion of the
> Har Homa settlement between Jerusalem and Bethlehem – are still in
> an early stage of the planning process.
>
>