"Bolton, Netanyahu Call For 'Greater Pressure' On Iran"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) shakes hands with U.S.
national-security adviser John Bolton during their meeting at
the prime minister's office in Jerusalem on August 20. (Reuters)

(Aug. 20)  Meeting in Jerusalem, White House national-security adviser John Bolton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have called on European countries to increase pressure on Iran.

Bolton told Netanyahu on August 20 that the United States saw the "highest importance" in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and that's why President Donald Trump withdrew from the "wretched" nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

"It's why we've worked with our friends in Europe to convince them of the need to take stronger steps against the Iranian nuclear-weapons and ballistic-missile program," Trump's national-security adviser added.

Trump and Netanyahu have been closely aligned on their approach to Iran since the U.S. president took office in January 2017.

Trump has consistently looked to increase pressure on Tehran to bring about what his administration has called a "change in behavior" regarding its weapons programs and its "destabilizing" activities in the region, accusations Iran denies.

In May, Trump pulled out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal that Iran signed with six world powers and has reimposed sanctions that had been eased as terms of the accord.

Calling the agreement "disastrous," Netanyahu said that "all countries who care about peace and security in the Middle East should follow America's lead and ratchet up the pressure on Iran," in what was considered a veiled reference to European countries.

"The greater the pressure on Iran, the greater the chance that the regime will roll back its aggression," he added. "And everybody should join this effort."

'Obama violates 'no snooping on allies' vow, spying on Netanyahu and Congressmen'- Wall St. Journal

National Security Agency’s targeting of Israeli leaders also swept up the content of private conversations with U.S. lawmakers

from U.S. Spy Net on Israel Snares Congress by Adam Entous and Danny Yadron in Wall St. Journal, Dec 29, 2015

President Barack Obama announced two years ago he would curtail eavesdropping on friendly heads of state after the world learned the reach of long-secret U.S. surveillance programs.

But behind the scenes, the White House decided to keep certain allies under close watch, current and former U.S. officials said. Topping the list was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The U.S., pursuing a nuclear arms agreement with Iran at the time, captured communications between Mr. Netanyahu and his aides that inflamed mistrust between the two countries and planted a political minefield at home when Mr. Netanyahu later took his campaign against the deal to Capitol Hill.

The National Security Agency’s targeting of Israeli leaders and officials also swept up the contents of some of their private conversations with U.S. lawmakers and American-Jewish groups. That raised fears—an “Oh-s— moment,” one senior U.S. official said—that the executive branch would be accused of spying on Congress.

White House officials believed the intercepted information could be valuable to counter Mr. Netanyahu’s campaign. They also recognized that asking for it was politically risky. So, wary of a paper trail stemming from a request, the White House let the NSA decide what to share and what to withhold, officials said. “We didn’t say, ‘Do it,’ ” a senior U.S. official said. “We didn’t say, ‘Don’t do it.’ ”

Stepped-up NSA eavesdropping revealed to the White House how Mr. Netanyahu and his advisers had leaked details of the U.S.-Iran negotiations—learned through Israeli spying operations—to undermine the talks; coordinated talking points with Jewish-American groups against the deal; and asked undecided lawmakers what it would take to win their votes, according to current and former officials familiar with the intercepts.

Before former NSA contractor Edward Snowden exposed much of the agency’s spying operations in 2013, there was little worry in the administration about the monitoring of friendly heads of state because it was such a closely held secret. After the revelations and a White House review, Mr. Obama announced in a January 2014 speech he would curb such eavesdropping.

In closed-door debate, the Obama administration weighed which allied leaders belonged on a so-called protected list, shielding them from NSA snooping. French President François Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders made the list, but the administration permitted the NSA to target the leaders’ top advisers, current and former U.S. officials said. Other allies were excluded from the protected list, including Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president of NATO ally Turkey, which allowed the NSA to spy on their communications at the discretion of top officials.

Privately, Mr. Obama maintained the monitoring of Mr. Netanyahu on the grounds that it served a “compelling national security purpose,” according to current and former U.S. officials. Mr. Obama mentioned the exception in his speech but kept secret the leaders it would apply to.

Israeli, German and French government officials declined to comment on NSA activities. Turkish officials didn’t respond to requests Tuesday for comment. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the NSA declined to comment on communications provided to the White House.

This account, stretching over two terms of the Obama administration, is based on interviews with more than two dozen current and former U.S. intelligence and administration officials and reveals for the first time the extent of American spying on the Israeli prime minister.

Read more:

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'Reject trusting Iran'- persecuted human-rights group reps share at 30 Years After event

Human-rights leaders ex-patriated from Iran discuss the Obama administration's proposed policy shift empowering Islamist Iran's mullah regime (JCPOA) at 30 Years After event, 27 August '15 at Beverly Hills Writers' Guild.


Representing oppressed minorities are (from left to right, Sam Yebri- leader, 30 Years After; West Hollywood Councilmember John Duran (LGBT); Mona Imam (Bahai Faith); Beverly Hills Vice-Mayor John Mirisch (atheist), Roozbeh Farhanipour, imprisoned journalist granted asylum; Iranian-Christian Pastor Shah, and moderator Shanel Melamed, Executive Director of Persian-Jewish 30 Years After.

Group representatives share the hope that Americans will direct their elected officials to reject the JCPOA initiative to ensure the stability of the Islamist mullah regime. 

Israeli Amb. Michael Oren "Ally" book tour video - revealing the secrets behind the spin

Former Israeli Amb. to US Michael Oren at Nixon Library July 2, '15

In his revealing auto-biography, "Ally: My Journey Across the American-Israeli Divide," American-born Michael Oren discusses his experience becoming appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to work with the Obama administration as Israel's ambassador to the U.S. 


Recorded before an audience at L.A.'s Museum of Tolerance, in a speech and conversation with David Suissa of the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles. July 1, 2015.



Above, Amb. Oren fields a broad range of questions from the audience (in two segments).

David Bernstein in the Washington Post refers to "How Israel Got Taken" a review of the book by Michael Doran in Mosaic Magazine. Doran claims that "Netanyahu undertook, at American insistence, an unprecedented settlement freeze, became the first Likud prime minister to endorse the establishment of a Palestinian state, and refrained from engaging in military action against Iran. He might have added that Netanyahu released hundreds of terrorist murderers to further John Kerry’s misbegotten “peace process.” While Netanyahu hasn’t always behaved well, even when he did the White House’s bidding he was met solely with contempt, more contempt than the Obama Administration has shown for any other foreign leader. That would be okay, if one really trusted Obama on the one issue key to Israeli security (and, in my opinion, key to the security of the entire Middle East and therefore to American security), preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons."

United Against Nuclear Iran group has published this public service political advertisement:

Is Obama engendering a World War by over-prioritizing his own re-election campaign?

Conventional wisdom dictates that were Israel to attack Iranian nuclear weapons facilities, Iran would mine the Sea of Hormouz to interfere with Gulf oil passage, thereby temporarily (until the US clears the sea mines) increasing the price of oil. The ripple-effect would increase prices across the world, and slow the economy during the time leading up to the US presidential election.

Israel feels that the US has stalled striking Iran (or blocking Israel) for too long and Iran is now "5 minutes to midnight" close to nuclear weaponizing- and waiting 'til after November would be disastrous.  Obama tells Netanyahu that if Israel waits 'til after the election, if he wins, he will stop blocking them and back them in the aftermath. But should Netanyahu trust Obama, who has arguable the worst administration regarding Israel in memory?  Iran would surely like Obama (whom they perceive as weak) to win another term, because they doubt his mettle to strike directly or support Israel if it does. And if the apocalyptic ayatollah regime manages to develop nuclear weapons within the next 7 months, it will be too late for Israel. The regime is known to be so messianic that they are willing to endure an Israeli counterstrike- if it would mean eradicating Jewish control over the Holy Land.  But Obama will not act, nor permit Israel to act to avert this potential nuclear armageddon against Israel (and perhaps the US) to ensure his re-election.

Iran Lists War Aims Against Israel  Michael Rubin in Commentary 04.01.2012

"In his Alef (Magazine) article, Ali Reza Forqani, an ally of Iran’s Supreme Leader, goes further. After justifying a war against Israel, Ali Reza Forqani delves into how Iran should conduct its war. Lest anyone misread Iran’s intent, in a section subtitled “People of Israel must be Annihilated,” Forqani outlines how to conduct genocide:

The residents of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa can be targeted even by Shahab-3 missiles. These three areas which are located very close to each other are very densely populated and the population there accounts for about 60 percent of Israel’s entire population. Therefore, it is possible to use Sajjil missiles to target the infrastructures in this area including power plants, fuel and energy installations, water and sewage treatment facilities, transportation and communication infrastructures; and in the next stage Shahab-3, Ghadr and Ashura missiles can be used to target and strike residential areas in the cities until the final annihilation of the people of Israel.

He then outlines Iran’s missile capability, explaining how Iran could best exploit each missile in its arsenal and bragging that used properly, “Iran Could Destroy Israel in Less Than Nine Minutes.” That the Iranians might soon be able to fit the Sajjil with nuclear warheads should only heighten concern.

Iran may be lots of things; deterrable does not appear to be one of them."

Is Israel a strategic asset or liability to the West?  Middle-east analyst, Mark Langfan demonstrates what steps would follow a potential conquest of Israel by Islamist forces, either through ceding the West Bank for an Iranian sought state of Palestine, or through an Iranian axis (Syria, Lebanon, Hezbollah, Hamas, and potentially Egypt) missile and land war. 

Mr. Langfan shows that by Israel, by militarily restricting Islamist Iran and her allies, and (potentially Islamist) Egypt from laying siege to the coveted Saudi and Gulf oil fields, Israel is the lynchpin which maintains Middle East stability. Iran's true motivation behind its "World without Zionism" crusade may not be "Palestinian nationalism" but to gain control of more of the world's petroleum resources.  An Iranian/Egyptian war against Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, would draw the involvement of the US to defend Saudi Arabia against Russia and China, allied with Iran. Iran has already warned of its intention to strike inside the US homeland, with its allied bases in Latin America and sleeper Hezbollah cells marbled thoughout North America.


This World War could catapult the price of petroleum to the $500-$1,000 per barrel range, thrusting world's economy into a global depression.  It is therefore in the world's best interest, Mr. Langfan shows, to support Israel against Iran in maintaining Middle-Eastern political and global economic stability

Israelis blame administration leaks for ‘diplomatic, military and even operational damage’  Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Israel has been alarmed by what officials determined were leaks by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama of purported Israeli preparations to attack Iran.

A leading U.S. analyst who returned from talks with the Israeli leadership reported that the Obama administration was accused of staging a campaign to undermine Israel. The analyst, Robert Satloff, said Washington was also blaming Israel for the rise in global crude oil prices, deemed as harming the U.S. economy.

“I cannot underscore how deep and visceral the [Israeli] comments of the leaking that came out of Washington were,” Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said.
In late March, several reports were published by leading American newspapers and journals [including Foreign Policy: Israel-Azerbaijan ties could expedite Iran strike] that questioned Israel’s military capability.

East Jerusalem construction flap - Obama's latest pretext for attacking Israel?

Ron Kampeas of JTA reports:

Israel's U.S. Ambassador Michael Oren indeed had been “summoned” for a meeting last Friday with James Steinberg, the deputy secretary of state. The summons came as the controversy engendered by Israel’s announcement of new construction in eastern Jerusalem during last week’s visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden showed no sign of abating.

“It wasn’t a meeting,” Oren told the Washington Jewish Week in an interview at a fund-raiser for a Washington-area school on Sunday night. “It was a summoning. I was told it was the first time that any ambassador had been summoned at that level.”

Oren said he is “working hard to avert an escalation. We’re working very hard to get back to what we need to do to make peace and stop Iran from making the bomb. We have apologized publicly and privately profusely.”

Paul Mirengoff interprets at Powerline Blog

The Obama administration, via Hillary Clinton, has harshly rebuked Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for Israel's announcement, during a trip there by Joe Biden, that it will build 1,600 housing units in East Jerusalem. The Washington Postreports that State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley described the nearly 45-minute phone conversation between Clinton and Netanyahu in "unusually undiplomatic terms." In fact, a 45 minute phone conversation between parties at this level is unusual, in itself. And Clinton told CNN that "the announcement of the settlements on the very day that the vice president was there was insulting.

"Whether the administration was genuinely insulted is questionable. I suspect that it simply wishes to present itself as an injured party in order to push Israel for concessions. ...

As to the merits of Israel's building plan, Obama and Clinton have no case. Israel did agree to a 10-month building moratorium, but the moratorium plainly did not include East Jerusalem. And the White House's claim that the new construction will complicate a potential settlement of issues relating to East Jerusalem is garbage. As Rick Richman points out, "the area in question is one that will not be yielded to the Palestinians in any conceivable peace agreement (even one that would divide sovereignty between Jewish and Arab areas) because it is a longstanding Jewish community, not an Arab one."

In any event, there's no reason why Israelis should deny themselves housing while they wait for the Palestinian Authority to make peace. The potential beneficiaries of the housing would probably like to see the construction completed during their lifetime.

But this flap doesn't seem to be about the merits. More likely, it's about President Obama's antipathy for Israel and his desire to put Israel on the defensive.

AIPAC appealed to the Administration to reduce its pressure against Israel: "The Administration should make a conscious effort to move away from public demands and unilateral deadlines directed at Israel, with whom the United States shares basic, fundamental, and strategic interests.

The escalated rhetoric of recent days only serves as a distraction from the substantive work that needs to be done with regard to the urgent issue of Iran 's rapid pursuit of nuclear weapons, and the pursuit of peace between Israel and all her Arab neighbors.

We strongly urge the Administration to work closely and privately with our partner Israel, in a manner befitting strategic allies, to address any issues between the two governments.

Senators John McCain and Joseph Lieberman held this colloquy on the topic on the Senate floor today.

Israel's President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address AIPAC Policy Conference attendees in D.C.

Israeli President Shimon Peres is confirmed to appear at the 2009 AIPAC Policy Conference beginning Sunday 3 May. In addition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak to conference delegates via satellite. Dozens of exciting speakers and top policymakers have also been confirmed, including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who will kick off this year's conference with a tribute to the U.S.-Israel relationship.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin and Republican Whip Jon Kyl have also been confirmed-the four leaders will join hundreds of their congressional colleagues and foreign dignitaries in a celebration of the U.S.-Israel alliance during the Policy Conference Gala Banquet. Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House, have also been confirmed for this year's conference.

Video: Caroline Glick speaks about the Jihad, Israel, and the West's policy folly

How is the US administration's strategy to seek establishment of a Palestinian state damaging to the integrity of the world?

The West's push to reward the Jihadist movement in Gaza and the West Bank with sovereignty is antithetical to the goals of defeating global Jihad, cautions deputy managing-editor of The Jerusalem Post, Ms. Caroline Glick, in this exclusive video interview with DemoCast TV.

The nature of the West's guaranteeing Israel's security against Islamic imperialism is a litmus test for the world to gauge the West's preparedness to defend the world from Jihad, she believes. It's also a litmus test to encourage or discourage support for the cause of the global Jihad.



Ms. Glick questions the 'conventional wisdom' currently guiding the West, i.e, to pressure Israel to surrender legal Jewish communities surrounding holy Jewish lands in the West Bank- in order to establish a hostile state of the global Jihad (dedicated to subjugating non-Muslims through violence and conquest). Palestine evidences its unworthiness, she states, by Hamas's custodianship of Gaza - utilized not wage peace, but to wage a 2-year, missile war against Israeli cities and towns.

Ms. Glick is the Senior Middle East Fellow at the Center for Security Policy and is one of several co-authors of the Center’s latest book, "War Footing." She has been a senior researcher at the IDF’s Operational Theory Research Institute (which as Israel’s Defense establishment’s most prestigious think tank is roughly equivalent to the US’s Rand Corporation). She has also worked as an adjunct lecturer in tactical warfare at the IDF’s Command and Staff College.

In 2003, Glick was named "The Most Prominent Woman in Israel" by the Israeli newspaper, Maariv.