WarSclerotic

Netanyahu Tells Hollande Iran Must Be Stopped From New Holocaust – Bloomberg.

By Jonathan Ferziger & Gwen Ackerman – Nov 17, 2013 10:06 PM GMT+0200

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed French President Francois Hollande to Israel, lauding France’s tough stance in talks with Iran while describing his own role as protecting the Jewish state from annihilation.

“The burden is on my shoulders,” Netanyahu said at a joint news conference at his Jerusalem residence. “It’s my duty to prevent anyone from credibly threatening or executing another Holocaust against the Jewish people.”

World powers, led by President Barack Obama, have offered Iran some relief on sanctions in exchange for progress in nuclear talks in Geneva scheduled to resume Nov. 20. Netanyahu contends tougher sanctions would wrest greater concessions from Iran and has railed repeatedly against the proposal, today saying “Iran’s dream is the world’s nightmare.”

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius undercut a potential accord last week by insisting construction be halted on a heavy-water reactor that can produce plutonium, a material that can be used for weapons.

Hollande, on his first presidential visit to Israel, said France will insist on a “serious, solid, credible agreement” in order to “guarantee regional peace and struggle against nuclear weapons proliferation,” according to a Hebrew translation on state television.

“We won’t allow anything that is liable to generate doubts about Iran’s intentions,” the French president said. Netanyahu has assailed the proposal for not requiring Iran to give up its uranium enrichment or plutonium operations, and today said he was “gravely concerned that this deal will go through.”

Russia Visit

Netanyahu travels to Russia Nov. 20 to discuss the Iran deal with PresidentVladimir Putin, then returns to Jerusalem to talk with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Nov. 22.

“France will not tolerate nuclear proliferation,” Hollande said at brief welcome ceremony. “As long as we are not certain that Iran has decided to give up on nuclear weapons, we will continue with all our demands and with sanctions.” Netanyahu praised France’s “firm stance.”

Iran is negotiating with a group known as the P5+1, made up of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the U.S., U.K., France, Russia and China — plus Germany.

The Islamic Republic was offered a temporary easing of existing sanctions on petrochemicals, gold and auto trade and some access to frozen assets, according to diplomats who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to comment.

Reduced Incentive

A partial easing of sanctions would water down Iran’s incentive to curtail its nuclear program further, Netanyahu said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” broadcast today.

“You’re going to get investors, companies and countries scrambling one after the other to try to get deals with Iran, because economies and prices work on future expectations,” he said.

While Netanyahu has talked about taking military action against Iran, he said he prefers a diplomatic solution.

“Israel has the most to gain from a peaceful diplomatic solution, because we’re on the firing line, any way you look at it,” he told CNN. “So we need a good solution.”

Amid the spiraling rhetoric, chances of an Israeli strike to halt Iran’s nuclear program aren’t high, said Jonathan Spyer, a political scientist at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya.

Netanyahu’s comments are “more about diplomatic positioning than imminent attack,” Spyer said. “There has been a dictum in Israeli security that Israel doesn’t go to war unless it has one serious global power behind it, and right now that wouldn’t be the case.”

The U.S. and Israel say uranium enrichment in Iran and the construction of a reactor capable of producing plutonium would help the nation to develop the capability to produce nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful medical and energy uses.

Saudi Cooperation

Israel isn’t alone in its concern over the developing deal in Geneva, according to the Sunday Times. The U.K. newspaper today reported Saudi Arabia is working with the Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency on a contingency plan for a possible attack on Iran if the nuclear program isn’t significantly curbed.

The government in Riyadh gave the go-ahead for Israeli planes to use its airspace in the event of an attack on Iran, the Sunday Times said, citing an unidentified diplomatic source. The prime minister’s office had no comment.

While an attack on Iran may not be imminent, the possibility “shouldn’t be dismissed and notice should be taken of the gap between U.S. thinking and the thinking of its two most important regional allies — Israel and Saudi Arabia,” Spyer said.

Hollande: Iran Must Give Up Nukes ‘Forever’ – Global Agenda – News – Israel National News.

French President restates commitment forcefully after his meeting with President Peres.

Peres with Hollande

Israel news photo: Flash 90

French President Francois Hollande restated his absolute opposition to Iranian nuclear weapons Sunday evening, after meeting his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres in Jerusalem.

“We will never accept Iran’s possessing nuclear weapons,” said Hollande. “This is a threat to the security of Israel and a threat to the entire world. We want and seek an agreement with the Iranian leadership, because we believe that diplomacy is the preferable route. But a true agreement will be possible only if Iran gives up on nuclear weapons forever.”

This was probably the most forceful statement on the subject Hollande has made until now.

Earlier Sunday, when he arrived at Ben Gurion Airport, Hollande said “France considers nuclear proliferation to be a menace, a danger, and in Iran particularly – a menace to Israel, to the region and clearly a menace to the entire world,” he told Israeli ministers and dignitaries lining the red carpet at Ben Gurion Airport in honor of his arrival.

“This is why France will not tolerate nuclear proliferation,” he added. “And for France, as long as we are not certain that Iran has decided to give up on nuclear weapons, we will continue with all our demands and with sanctions.”

Hollande landed in Israel Sunday for his first official visit to the Jewish state. The visit is to last three days, and Iran is likely to be the main issue under discussion in meetings with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

On Wednesday, the P5+1 powers, which include France, will resume negotiations with Iran over its nuclear weapons program. The powers were said to be close to finalizing a deal with Iran in the previous round of talks, but France’s refusal to sign on to the proposed deal was crucial in preventing an agreement.

Israel has warned that a partial agreement that gives Iran relief from economic sanctions without its agreeing to give up the capability to produce nuclear weapons is “a very bad deal.” The United States, which for decades was perceived as having similar interests to Israel’s, appears ready to finalize an agreement that would make it possible for Iran to produce nuclear weapons at very short notice.

While Congress is considering ratcheting up sanctions against Iran, US Secretary of State John Kerry has reportedly urged senators to “ignore anything the Israelis say” on the matter. There are also reports that US President Barack Obama is not taking calls from Prime Minister Netanyahu.

U.S. sources: Iran nuclear deal includes Arak halt, uranium freeze, tough inspections – Diplomacy and Defense Israel News | Haaretz.

Obama to brief Congressional leaders on Wednesday talks in Geneva as Netanyahu lowers tone but maintains criticism of ‘exceedingly bad’ Iran proposals.

By Chemi Shalev | Nov. 17, 2013 | 9:21 PM

Heavy-water production plant in the central Iranian town of Arak, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006. Photo by AP

The P5+1 proposal that will be discussed at Wednesday’s talks with Iran at Geneva includes a halt on any further construction at the Arak heavy water plant as well as a freeze on Iran’s current stockpiles of enriched uranium.

According to informed U.S. sources, the proposal also includes the imposition of an unprecedented inspection regime aimed at ensuring that Tehran keeps the commitments that it will undertake in the new nuclear deal. The sources claim that this rigid regime, which will include daily inspections in some cases, may prove to be “the bitterest pill” for Iran to swallow.

The new details of the proposal come as the Administration continues its efforts to persuade Congress to refrain from imposing new sanctions on Iran and thus jeopardizing the chances for an accord. Sources in Washington say that U.S. President Obama intends to invite the leaders of both houses of Congress to the White House early this week in order to present details of the emerging deal with Iran and to ask for Congress to hold off on any new steps.

According to the new information on the proposed accord, Tehran would undertake to freeze all major construction inside the Arak heavy water plant in western Iran, though it would be allowed to continue other infrastructure operations outside the disputed plant. Israel and Western countries suspect that the Arak reactor known as IR-40 could eventually produce enough plutonium for 1-2 nuclear bombs each year.
In addition to stopping all uranium enrichment to 19.75%, Iran would also undertake to freeze current levels of its stockpiles of enriched uranium as a whole.

This would mean that Tehran would have to hand over previously enriched uranium equal to the quantities of newly enriched uranium produced in Iranian reactors.

Although these demands are still a far cry from Israel’s demand that Iran stop all nuclear enrichment and destroy its centrifuges, they will be used in the Administration’s ongoing efforts to persuade Congress to refrain from legislating new sanctions that could jeopardize the ongoing talks.

Informed sources said over the weekend that prospects for a quick Administration-defying move on sanctions in the Senate have already decreased significantly after Republican Arizona Senator John McCain said he would be willing to hold off on new sanctions. Although he described Secretary of State John Kerry as “a human wrecking ball” in Middle East negotiations, McCain later told the BBC “I am skeptical of talks with Iran but willing to give the Obama administration a couple months.”

The Administration has also been talking to Jewish leaders in an effort to counteract Prime Minister Netanyahu’s arguments against the proposed agreement. Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday show yesterday, Netanyahu said that the “exceedingly bad deal” currently under discussion would only increase Iranian motivation to secure a nuclear weapons, cause the sanctions regime to “crumble” and inevitably lead to a “point where your only option is a military option.”
Netanyahu said that has “received information” that “countries and investors and companies are already scrambling to get to Iran” in anticipation of an easing of sanctions. “Everybody’s getting ready to the starting line, to rush to Iran to give – to be in part of that deal.”

But despite his criticism, Netanyahu went out of his way to try and defuse some of the tensions that have been steadily building up between Jerusalem and Washington in the wake of disagreements between the two capitals over the Iran negotiations. Both in his CNN interview and in his address to the Israeli cabinet on Sunday morning, Netanyahu emphasized the deep ties and friendship between Israel and the US. Announcing Kerry’s upcoming visit to Israel following the Geneva talks Netanyahu said: “John Kerry is an old friend of mine and a friend of Israel and he is making an effort to advance peace between Israel and the Palestinians. I want to make clear that there can be disagreements even between the best of friends, especially on issues related to our fate and future.”

Informed sources told Haaretz that some American interlocutors have told Netanyahu that the harshness of his attacks against the Administration have not only damaged the ties with the White House, but could be used against him if talks with Iran ultimately collapse. Netanyahu, they said, could be the one who will ultimately be blamed.

Iran allows for compromise on uranium enrichment | The Times of Israel.

Foreign minister says ‘right’ to enrich under NPT not part of the debate; Netanyahu downplays differences with Obama

By Times of Israel staff and AP November 17, 2013, 8:57 pm

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in an interview with the BBC on November 9, on the sideline of talks in Geneva between the P5+1 world powers and Tehran. (photo credit:

Iran’s foreign minister said Sunday that there was no need for world powers to publicly acknowledge Iran’s “right” to uranium enrichment, offering a potential way to sidestep another sticking point on a possible nuclear deal when talks resume later this week.

Mohammad Javad Zarif’s remarks appeared to give more latitude over previous demands — that the West declare that Tehran has international clearance to produce nuclear fuel — since Iran is a signer of a UN treaty governing atomic technology.

The US and others have balked at supporting Iran’s “right” to enrich uranium.

“Not only do we consider that Iran’s right to enrich is nonnegotiable, but we see no need for that to be recognized as ‘a right,’ because this right is inalienable and all countries must respect that,” Zarif told the ISNA news agency.

Iran’s uranium enrichment program is a key sticking point in negotiations to resolve Western fears that Tehran is working to develop nuclear weapons. The United States holds that under the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty, the enrichment of uranium is prohibited to Iran, while the latter has insisted it will never completely give up its enrichment process.

Zarif explained that statements made by US officials about not accepting Iran’s right to process uranium do not directly clash with Iran’s point of view.

“These remarks do not mean that countries are not entitled to enrich uranium,” he said. “It is different from our position, based on which enrichment is our inseparable right. It does not mean that they are against Iran’s enrichment and do not recognize it.”

The minister further claimed that Iran has not been asked during negotiations to stop enriching uranium.

“We have not heard it during talks with P5+1,” he said. “No one wants a pause in enrichment. The issue has not been demanded by any side in general.”

Talks between the so-called P5+1 world powers — comprising the US, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany — and Iran have so far failed to produce even an interim agreement on capping the Islamic Republic’s ability to produce weapons-grade fissile material. In addition to “rolling back” uranium enrichment, the world powers also want to see a halt in ongoing construction of a heavy water facility that could produce plutonium for a nuclear bomb.

Iran is seeking a partial lifting of sanctions, which have crippled its economy, in return for some compromise on its nuclear program.

Earlier this month, negotiators were rumored to be close to signing a deal, but it eventually fell apart without a result and with both sides blaming each other for demanding too much.

Talks are set to resume later this week in Geneva.

“We want to reach an agreement and understanding,” Zarif said.

However, Israel has have repeatedly denounced the terms of the agreement, as it was presented in Geneva, saying it didn’t remove Iran’s ability to break out to a nuclear weapon. In an interview Sunday with CNN’s Candy Crowley, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that the kind of deal rumored to be in the making with Iran was counterproductive.

“This is a bad deal,” he said. “And, in fact, if you do a bad deal, you may get to the point where your only option is a military option. So a bad deal actually can lead you to exactly the place you don’t want to be.”

Nonetheless, Netanyahu stressed that a diplomatic solution was always going to be Israel’s preferred route.

“I prefer a peaceful solution,” he said. “Who wouldn’t? Israel has the most to gain from a peaceful diplomatic solution, because we’re on the firing line, any way you look at it. So we need a good solution, and that’s the main point.

“The problem with the partial deal is that you reduce the sanctions. And in this case, you reduce the sanctions, let out a lot of pressure, and Iran is practically giving away nothing,” he continued. ” It’s making a minor concession, which they can reverse in weeks, and you endanger the whole sanctions regime that took years to make.”

Rather than the strategy of offering a compromise, Netanyahu called for increasing sanctions to squeeze Iran into submission.

“If you continue the pressure now, you can get Iran to cease and desist,” he said.

The unbending position of Israel compared to that of the US — that is, pushing for an interim deal with Iran as a way to slow down weapons development until a permanent solution is settled upon — has generated friction between Washington and Jerusalem. Asked just how far the differences ran between his point of view and that of President Barack Obama, Netanyahu asserted that, ultimately, they had the same goal.

“The best of friends can have different opinions,” he said. “We agree on a lot of things, and some things we disagree on… we all want the same thing.”

Chamberlain, Munich 1938: How… Incredible It Is . . – Op-Eds – Israel National News.

Although Chamberlain threatened that if Czechoslovakia didn’t give the Sudetendland to Hitler, WWII would start, the sad truth is that giving it over is what enabled the war to start. Obama is going down the same path.

In 1938, the quintessential appeaser, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, excoriated the embattled Czech Prime Minister Benes as the cause of a world war if Benes did not accede to Hitler’s demandsand agree to expose his country to occupation by Nazi Germany.

Chamberlain “blackmailed” the self-defensible Benes into becoming an indefensible victim. Chamberlain morphed genocidal war-maker Hitler into a smiling ‘peace-maker.’  Chamberlain intoned the same false ‘logic’ that Obama uses today: Agree to the murderer’s terms, or he will occupy and murder more of you.

William L. Shirer, the greatest of World War II historians, lived the events as a news reporter and later recorded his epic history “Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” (“The Rise and Fall”).  In Chapter 12, “The Road to Munich,” Shirer recounts the predatory actions taken by Chaimberlain that forced PM Benes to cede the Czech Sudetenland to Hitler.

The Sudetenland was the mountainous western half of Czechoslovakia that had some ethnic German population.  That mountainous Czech Sudetenland served as a defensive bulwark against a Nazi German attack eastward into Czechoslovakia.  Without its mountain topographic defenses, the eastern remainder of Czechoslovakia was defenseless in the face of further Nazi occupation – which occurred several months later.

Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia was not only the key to Hitler’s overall military strategy, but also specifically Hitler’s Eastern Theater.  Poland is to the immediate north of what was then Czechoslovakia. In fact, at the time, Hitler stated that “Czechoslovakia was a knife pointed at Germany’s heart, or a Soviet aircraft carrier ready to launch air attacks on Berlin.”

This meant that with the Sudetenland mountains in Czech hands, Hitler could not have confidently attacked Poland or the Soviet Union because the Czechs would have, from the Sudetenland, likely helped and allied with the Poles and/or the Soviets to attack Hitler’s supply lines stretching eastward into Poland or the Soviet Union.

Hence, Czechoslovakia had to be occupied by Hitler before any German attack on the Poland or the Soviet Union could be militarily countenanced. Chamberlain’s Munich Pact militarily enabled Hitler’s attack on Poland and assured its occurrence and the ensuing World War II.

To put it bluntly, Chamberlain’s “peace” talk insured Hitler’s war walk.

Shirer records in “The Rise and Fall” that on September 27, 1938:

“Also, the Prime Minister [Chamberlain] promptly sent off a message to Pres. Benes [of Czechoslovakia] in Prague warning that his information from Berlin “makes it clear that the German Army will receive orders to cross the Czechoslovak frontier immediately if, by tomorrow [September 28] at 2 P.M. the Czechoslovak Government have not excepted the German conditions.”

Having warned the Czechs, Chamberlain could not refrain from admonishing then, in the last part of the message, “that Bohemia would be overrun by the German Army and nothing which another power could do would be able to save your country and your people from such a fate. This remains true whatever the result of a world war might be.” ( The Rise and Fall, pg. 402-403)

“Thus Chamberlain was putting the responsibility for peace or war no longer on Hitler but on Benes. And he was getting a military opinion which even the German generals, as we have seen, held as a responsible.” (Ibid)

Shirer continues to relate that later that night at 11 p.m. Chamberlain continued his private harangue of Czech PM Benes and that Chamberlain “added a further warning: The only alternative to this plan would be an invasion and a dismemberment of the country by force, and Czechoslovakia, though a conflict might arise which would leave lead to incalculable loss of life, could not be reconstituted in her frontiers what ever the result of the conflict may be.” (Ibid)

Shirer records that Chamberlain didn’t stop his “Benes will bring the world to war talk” there.  In a public harangue, in radio broadcast to the entire British Empire at 8:30 p.m., Chamberlain stated:

“How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is that we should be digging trenches . . . here because of a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom we know nothing! . . .

“I would not hesitate to pay even a third visit to Germany if I thought it would do any good.

“However much we may sympathize with a small nation confronted by a big and powerful neighbor, we cannot in all circumstances undertake to involve the whole British Empire in a war simply on her account. If we have to fight it must be on larger issues than that. . .”

On 30 September 1938, Czechoslovakia capitulated to Chamberlain’s demands that it be partly occupied by Hitler.

On 10 October 1938, Nazi Germany occupied the Czech Sudetenland.

With the Sudetenland firmly in his pocket, Hitler showed his cards  on November 9-10 by executing Kristallnacht, murdering over 90 Jews and arresting over 30,000 German and Austrian Jews, sending them to their death in Nazi Concentration camps.

On 16 March 1939, without a shot fired, the Nazi German Wehrmacht (army) occupied the remaining eastern half of Czechoslovakia.

On 23 August 1941, as an “unintended consequence” of Chamberlain’s Munich Pact with Hitler, the Western appeasement frightened Stalin into signing the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact so as to gain the Soviets some time, and insure Hitler struck the West first.

On 1 September 1939, Hitler invaded Poland with Stalin soon to follow, and World War II began in force.

During the next six years, close to 85 million people died.

Fast forward to 2013.  President Barack Obama, his Press Secretary Carney and the State Department, areall  advocating for Obama’s plans to confirm Iran as a nuclear-state over the strident, reasonable objections of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and all of America’s Persian Gulf Sunni allies.

As did Chamberlain, Obama has cast the embattled Bibi as the “war-maker.”

On November 12, 2013 Carney stated:

“The American people do not want a march to war, . . they justifiably and understandably prefer a peaceful solution that prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. This agreement, if it’s achieved, has the potential to do that. The alternative is military action, if pursuing a resolution diplomatically is disallowed or ruled out, what options then do we and our allies have to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon?”

AFP reported Obama’s statements several days later as follows:

“What we have done is seen the possibility of an agreement in which Iran would halt advances on its program, . . .We can buy some additional months in terms of their breakout capacity. Let’s test how willing they are to actually resolve this diplomatically and peacefully, . . .”

And Obama said that his intention “always was to bring the Iranians to the table so we could resolve this issue peacefully.”

But he critically added, “No matter how good our military is, military options are always messy, are always difficult, always have unintended consequences, and in this situation are never complete in terms of making us certain that they don’t then go out and pursue even more vigorously nuclear weapons in the future.”

“If we’re serious about pursuing diplomacy, there’s no need for us to add new sanctions on top of the sanctions that are already very effective and that brought them to the table in the first place.”

AFP interpreted Obama remarks succinctly, stating that Obama appeared to make his most explicit suggestion yet that military action — if diplomacy fails — would have dangerous effects and only fuel an Iranian desire for nuclear weapons.

In other words, it’s Israel’s fault no matter what happens.

On 15 November, the State a Department’s Psaki said, “I think we’re looking at multiple tracks here, including our continued pursuit of seeing whether a diplomatic path is possible. The alternative in our view is a path to war, . . .We think the path to diplomacy is the right path,” she added.

Earlier on 15 November, Netanyahu had tweeted: ”The proposal enables Iran to develop atomic bombs and build long-range missiles to reach the U.S. and Europe.  Iran is getting everything and giving nothing.”

So there you have it.  Obama threatens that Israel is to be the cause of a world war if Israel merely argues for tougher, safer terms.

Israel believes Iran should not be rewarded for enriching Uranium that can only be used to build nuclear bombs.  In fact, Obama is rewarding Iran for its illegal uranium enrichment by not only allowing Iran to keep its enriched uranium stock, but also by recognizing Iran’s right to enrich uranium in the first place.

Instead of Obama’s discussing the substance of Bibi’s objections to see where some of the deal-sheet terms could be strengthened or clarified, Obama and his henchmen have attacked their ally, Israel.  Obama has escalated the dispute and used a false “talk or war” talking point to cast Bibi, and Israel, as warmongers for opposing what Bibi believes is a dangerous Iran deal.  Tougher nuclear terms don’t mean “war.”

Obama’s cosmetic attack on Bibi only highlights the substantive weakness and failures of an Iran deal that Obama can’t explain because it’s unexplainable.  If Obama had reason and common sense on his side, Obama wouldn’t need his “war” fireworks.

Ironically, Obama is adamant about the need for “Gun control” and issuing laws violating Americans’ constitutional rights to “bear arms.”  But, on granting a terrorist-designated Country the right and ability to have a nuclear weapons that could kills hundreds of millions of people and result in Iranian hegemony over the world, Obama falls all over himself to enable Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

And ominously , just as Chamberlain’s Munich appeasement of Hitler enabled his successful military attack on Poland, Obama’s Geneva appeasement of Iran enables a military attack on Israel.  Israel is a “one-bomb” country.

Obama’s Iranian “diplomacy” is not a march to peace, but “March of Folly” which will bring nothing less than the eradication of Israel and of Western Civilization.  Or, to ‘paraphrase’ Chamberlain, “How horrible, fantastic, incredible it [will be] that we should be digging [graves] here because of a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom [Obama understood] nothing.”

The writer, who writes on security issues, has created an original educational 3d Topographic Map System of Israel to facilitate clear understanding of the dangers facing Israel and its water supply. It has been studied by US lawmakers and can be seen at http://www.marklangfan.com.

Hollande: France takes Israel’s position on Iran seriously; we will not cave – Diplomacy and Defense Israel News | Haaretz.

Trip marks president’s first official visit as head of state; Netanyahu to Hollande: You lead a courageous stand against Iran’s attempts to acquire nuclear weapons.

By Barak Ravid | Nov. 17, 2013 | 2:44 PM

French President Francois Hollande delivers a speech during a welcoming ceremony upon his arrival in Israel, Nov. 17, 2013. Photo by AP

French President Francois Hollande arrived Sunday in Tel Aviv on his first official visit as head of state to Israel, which has welcomed Paris’ tough stance in talks with Iran over its nuclear program.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres received the large French delegation, which also includes Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, at Ben-Gurion International Airport.

Netanyahu told Hollande he is leading “a courageous stand against Iran’s attempts to acquire nuclear weapons.” “Zionism was influenced by the values of the French Revolution,” Netanyahu said. “Israel sees France as a true friend. France. like Israel, aspires for a stable Middle East that lives in peace and security.” He added that France “understands well” the danger of radical elements “that don’t hesitate to use terrorism and violence.”

President Peres welcomed Hollande “to the Holy Land,” saying: “The citizens of Israel owe historic debt to France on its help to build Israel’s defense forces after the state was formed.” He added: “France of the resistance helped to break the arms embargo against Israel in the first years of our state.”

Upon his arrival, Hollande declared that France takes Israel’s position on Iran seriously, adding that his country will not cave in on this issue. Until we are sure that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons, said Hollande, we will not relieve sanctions. The French president added that not only would a nuclear Iran be a threat to Israel, but it would endanger the Middle East and the world at large.

With regards to negotiations for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, Hollande said any agreement reached between the sides must end the conflict and all its claims.

Hollande saluted Israel as a “great democracy” of which it should be proud, and said, in Hebrew, “I will always remain a friend of Israel.”

Hours before Hollande landed, Netanyahu said he would launch a major push next week to change the “bad deal” that world powers were negotiating with Iran.

He said the issue would dominate Hollande’s 48-hour visit to Israel. The French leader will also visit the West Bank for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

“This visit is important … in light of the talks that are being held in Geneva on the Iranian nuclear issue,” Netanyahu told his cabinet in Jerusalem.

“I hope that we will succeed in convincing our friends this week, and the days after, to reach a much better deal,” he said.

The Iranian issue would also dominate Netanyahu’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday and with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is due in the region on Friday for his second visit in 10 days.

A continuation, or even intensification, of the sanctions on Iran, rather than a let-up, would yield “much better results” in the diplomatic negotiations, the Israeli premier said.

Hollande is scheduled to first meet Peres at the presidential residence in Jerusalem and tour the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial institute, followed by dinner with Netanyahu.

He is to address Israel’s Knesset, or parliament, on Monday, and Tuesday visit the graves of the victims of a March 2012 terrorist attack on a French Jewish school.

The attack by Islamist gunman Mohamed Merah in Toulouse was the worst assault on Jews in France in 30 years, and led to a tightening of anti-terrorism legislation.

In Ramallah, Hollande will lay a wreath at the mausoleum of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who was exhumed and reburied last year as part of a French murder inquiry into whether he was poisoned with the radioactive poison, polonium-210.

DPA contributed to this report.

France’s Hollande receives warm welcome in Israel as Iran nuclear deal looms large | JPost | Israel News.

By HERB KEINON

LAST UPDATED: 11/17/2013 15:49

French president’s visit comes on the heels of Paris’s efforts to delay agreement with Iran at nuclear talks; Netanyahu, Peres tell Hollande Israel is grateful to France’s contributions to Israel’s security, development.

“I will always remain a friend of Israel,” French President Francois Hollande said in Hebrew at the end of a brief address he delivered upon landing at Ben-Gurion Airport Sunday afternoon.

Hollande, welcomed with full pomp and ceremony and a great deal of warmth by President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, said France will not surrender to nuclear proliferation and that Paris will stand by its demands – and continue with sanctions – until Iran gives up on a nuclear weapon.

Iran, he said, “is a threat to Israel, to the region, and to the whole world.”

Hollande arrived in Israel as head of a massive delegation, including seven ministers and nearly 200 businessmen, aides and journalists, just three days before the P5+1 – of which France is a member  – will meet again in Geneva with Iranian negotiators.

Iran will be a central topic of discussion during his meetings here, and France’s tough stand on Iran means that the visit is taking place at a time where there is a great deal of appreciation in Jerusalem for Paris’ position on this matter.

Regarding the Palestinian issue, Hollande said he pinned a lot of hopes on the current negotiations. “You will need courage,” he said. “But you have courage.”

“I came to deliver a message of support of France, based on our long history, a history of joint fate, but also of suffering, pain and tragedy,” he said.

Netanyahu welcomed Hollande by saying that Zionism was influenced a great deal from the lofty ideals of the French revolution: Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité (liberty, equality, and fraternity). He added that other elements Zionism took from the French revolution were the belief in progress, human rights, and the “sovereignty of the people, not of the ruler.”

Israel was the only state in the region that sanctified those values, he said, adding that Israeli-French ties are long-standing and deeply rooted.

“We appreciate France’s decisive contribution to our security during the first and fateful years of our state,” he said, saluting Peres for playing a large role in establishing those ties.

“We are preserving and developing those ties,” he added.

France, according to Netanyahu understands very well the dangers of extremist factors who do not shudder from violence and terrorism to achieve their aims. He praised Hollande for the “courageous decision” to fight Islamic radical terrorists in Mali, and for the tough stance Paris has taken toward Syria and Iran’s continued attempts to get nuclear arms.

“It is forbidden for Iran to get nuclear arms,” he said. “This will not only endanger Israel and other states in the Middle East, but also France, Europe and the whole world.”

Netanyahu said that when he went with Hollande to Toulouse last year after the terrorist attack there, and saw his unwavering stand against anti-Semitism, and his warm relations with the French Jewish community, “I saw in front of me a leader with principles and deep humanity.”

Peres was also effusive in his praise of France.

“The people of Israel owe France a great debt for standing by our side in times of peace and of war,” he said. “For allowing the development of Israel’s defensive force. Especially in the first years of the state, when we needed France more than at any other time.”

Peres, who was instrumental in forging close ties with Paris during the early years of statehood, said that with the support of its citizens, its soldiers, its writers and its leaders, France enthusiastically “allowed us to defend ourselves as a sovereign state and to build a new society. We will never forget it. Thank you from the depth of our hearts. The true historic friendship between our two people is founded upon mutual values and a deep sense of mutual respect. We share a legacy of fighting slavery and rejecting tyranny.”

Hollande told the assembled government ministers and dignitaries that there was great empathy for Israel’s position in his country and that he wished to strengthen relations between the two peoples.

“I want to bring you a message of support from France based on joint history, suffering, pain and tragedy,” the president said. “With 150,000 French Jews living in Israel, I have come to give a new push to our ties, especially in business and cultural spheres.”

After a welcoming ceremony at Ben-Gurion Airport, Hollande will go directly to the President’s Residence in the capital for a formal reception and meeting with Peres.

He will then lay a wreath at the grave of Theodor Herzl, visit Yitzhak Rabin’s grave, and go to Yad Vashem.

In the evening he has a private meeting planned with Netanyahu, followed by a joint press conference, and then dinner with the prime minister.

On Monday, following a visit to Jerusalem’s Old City, he will go to Ramallah for some five hours, after which he will return to Jerusalem, address the Knesset and attend a state dinner hosted by Peres.

On Tuesday, after visiting the graves at the Har Hamenuchot cemetery in Jerusalem of the victims of the March 2012 Toulouse terrorist attack, he will take part in a joint economic meeting in Tel Aviv and meet French Israelis at Tel Aviv University.

He will leave Tuesday afternoon.

JPost.com staff contributed to this report.

Israel Hayom | Hollande, be a champion of morality.

Boaz Bismuth

The timing of French President François Hollande’s visit could not have been better. About a week ago in Geneva, during the talks between the West and Iran, France derailed what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called “a bad deal.”

The warm reception afforded to Hollande this week is designed to show Israel’s gratitude; but Jerusalem also hopes Hollande will be convinced to stay the course when the nuclear talks with Iran resume this week.

A quick reminder: The talks are expected to resume on Wednesday; if you were to believe the sounds coming out of Washington and Moscow, there is a very good chance that this session would culminate with a signed agreement.

That is, unless the language of Molière once again carries the day.

This week is going to be crucial. Torpedoing a deal would be no easy task because the Americans and the Russians want to have signing ceremony. In September, French jets were already in booster-ignition mode when the American-Russian dictate prevented an attack on Syria; as far as Russia and the U.S. are concerned, it is better to sign a deal with evil regimes than to flex your muscles. The talks will ultimately boil down to a clash between core values on the one hand, and political gain on the other hand. Netanyahu will ask Hollande to keep rooting for he moral high ground by being a champion of values. After all, France has copyrighted some of them — “Liberté, égalité, fraternité.” Israel and the Gulf States expect France to show some fraternité when the powers show up in Geneva.

People may have high hopes for France, but Paris might have to fall in line with the zeitgeist. Russia and China have never been keen on imposing tougher sanctions on Iran. But the problem lies with the U.S., which has changed its position since the talks commenced a decade ago. The Europeans followed along (with the exception of France).

Washington caters to its own interests. (Just read Thomas Friedman’s recent column in The New York Times.) The U.S. may pursue its own agenda; there is nothing inherently wrong with that — except that it has repeatedly pleaded with Israel, over many years, to have faith in Uncle Sam. The New York Times, which has become one of the more vocal proponents of an agreement, believes it is “not the time to squeeze Iran.”

Over the weekend, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that the only thing left to do is come up with the exact language of the agreement; this suggests things are drawing to a close. Netanyahu will pay a visit to Moscow shortly after meeting Hollande, and he will make sure to stay in touch with the White House.

For Netanyahu, the focus now is on damage control — even if an agreement is reached, the persistence and steadfastness on the part of the French would, at the very least, make it into a somewhat better deal. Considering the current state of the talks, that would qualify as an achievement.

The world is preoccupied with its own problems; as far as Israel is concerned, Iran is the main problem (and an existential threat), but world leaders have to attend to what is happening in their neck of the woods. Look at President Barack Obama, whose signature accomplishment — the overhaul of the healthcare system — turned into an embarrassing fiasco.

Even Democratic lawmakers have come up against the implementation of “Obamacare.” One of them, Democratic Congressman Nick Rahall (from West Virginia) said Obama’s conduct on the matter deserved an F-. If there was someone who could promise Netanyahu that Iran’s nuclear program would be as successful as Obamacare, he would have no problem sleeping at night. However, there is no guarantee that the two projects would share the same fate.

Hollande’s approval ratings are less than flattering. The latest Huffington Post-commissioned poll shows that support for the president dropped to 15 percent and that only 3% said his conduct as president was “very good.” Such a nose dive is unprecedented.

Perhaps Hollande should consider staying here a bit longer. His poll numbers in Israel will likely be through the roof in light of the French stance on Libya, Mali, Syria, and most importantly, because of his efforts in Geneva.

Kerry to return to Israel as Netanyahu publicly admits to differences with US on Iran | JPost | Israel News.

By HERB KEINON

LAST UPDATED: 11/17/2013 12:44

PM says in weekly cabinet meeting that there are differences with US on Iran but disagreements can happen even between the “best of friends.”

US Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to arrive in Israel for additional talks on Friday, after a week in which Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will meet French President Francois Hollande and Russian President Vladimir Putin to try and secure a “better deal” on Iran.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu admitted Sunday to differences on Iran with the US, telling the cabinet that there can be disagreements even between the best of friends, “especially when it comes to our future and our fate.” Netanyahu said it was his responsibility of Israel’s prime minster to look out for the vital interests of the country when faced “with a bad agreement. I hope that we will be able to convince our friends to put forward much better agreement, and that is possible.” Netanyahu said the Iranians are under severe economic pressure, and a continuation of that pressure could lead to a better result.

“I believe that many in the region, and outside of it, agree with this,” he said.

Differences between the US and Israel both over Iran and the Palestinian issue came to the fore during Kerry’s last visit here some two weeks ago. Netanyahu said Kerry is coming here to push forward the negotiations with the Palestinians, but that the talks will also focus on the Iranian negotiations.

Amid a public strain between Jerusalem and Washington, Netanyahu stressed that Kerry “is an old friend of mine, and he is also a friend of Israel.” Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Hollande in Jerusalem on Sunday, and Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, the same day negotiators from the P5+1 and Iran will again be meeting in Geneva for talks.

Last week a senior US official said that the major powers and Iran are getting closer to an initial agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program, adding it is “quite possible” a deal could be reached when negotiators meet Nov. 20-22 in Geneva.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday that global powers and Iran are close to a preliminary deal to rein in Tehran’s nuclear program and should not pass up a “very good chance” to clinch it.

Reuters contributed to this report.

On Iran, cavernous tactical gaps separate Israel, US |.

(A comment from our own David… – JW )