Israel to present Bush with 'Iran Nuke file'
Pastor Dale Morgan
Israel to present Bush with 'Iran Nuke file'*
Political-diplomatic forum at Prime Minister's Office convenes for
special discussion ahead of US president's visit to Jerusalem this week.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak to brief Bush on Israeli interpretation to
intelligence information on Tehran's nuclear program
Roni Sofer
Published: 01.07.08, 00:26 / Israel News
Israel does not have any evidence which could turn the tables on a
recent US intelligence report which concluded that Iran has stopped
developing nuclear weapons, according to the senior political-diplomatic
forum at the Prime Minister's Office.
The forum convened Sunday afternoon in order to decide on Israel's
stance on the Iranian issue ahead of US President George W. Bush's visit
to Israel, which is scheduled to being Wednesday.
Presidential Visit
Jerusalem readies for Bush's arrival, 10,500 police involved in
security / Associated Press
Snipers, bomb-sniffing dogs and Shin Bet bodyguards to secure US
president's visit in operation dubbed ' Clear Skies'; eight truckloads
of gear arrive at historic King David hotel, bearing everything from
security equipment to printer paper and fax machines; garbage teams
engaged in furious race to clean capital up
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister
Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Minister for Strategic Affairs
Avigdor Lieberman, Mossad chief Meir Dagan, IDF Chief of Staff Gabi
Ashkenazi, Director-General of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission Shaul
Horev, Military Intelligence chief Amos Yadlin, Director of Policy and
Political-Military Affairs at the Defense Ministry Amos Gilad, and a
senior Shin Bet official.
The Mossad and the IDF Intelligence branch briefed the forum on the
information obtained by Israel on the Iranian nuclear issue.
A report submitted to President Bush by the 16 US intelligence agencies
(National Intelligence Estimate) following the Annapolis peace
conference in November concluded that Tehran had stopped developing a
nuclear bomb in 2003.
According to the report, however, Iran continues to enrich uranium
despite Russia's willingness to provide the Islamic republic with
nuclear fuel aimed at satisfying its needs for civil nuclear energy.
The secret discussion at the Prime Minister's Office was aimed at
examining whether Israel had different evidence than the Americans.
During the discussion it was made clear that more than 90% of the
intelligence information possessed by Israel was identical to the
information presented to the American president.
Nonetheless, the additional information does not confirm that Tehran
resumed its secret activity to create military nuclear capabilities
after 2003. Although the Israeli information points to suspicions that
this is in fact Iran's intention, its does not contain enough evidence
which will allow Bush to return to Washington with information which
will lead to firm action by the international community.
Bush: Iran remains a dangerous country
The discussion held Sunday was the first of its kind held after the
submission of the US intelligence report, which led to a withdrawal in
the international community's stance ahead of the possibility of
imposing diplomatic or military sanctions against Iran.
The meeting attendees agreed that Defense Minister Barak will brief the
US president on the Iranian nuclear issue during dinner at Prime
Minister Olmert's residence on Thursday evening, after Bush returns from
a visit to the Palestinian Authority.
The US president recently said that Iran remained a dangerous country.
He reiterated his unequivocal demand that Tehran halt its uranium
enrichment process. Despite the US intelligence report, Bush insists
that both the UN Security Council and corporations and private companies
impose sanctions on Iran.
Asked by Yedioth Ahronoth reporters whether his country planned a
military strike in Iran, the president replied that at this stage the
Iranian nuclear threat should be dealt with through diplomatic measures.
Diplomatic officials estimated that Bush's policy would remain
unchanged after the Israelis present him with the "Iranian nuclear
file". They said, however, that the US president's visit to Israel would
strengthen his stance that the world must act firmly against Tehran.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas are scheduled to meet Tuesday in order to coordinate their
position prior to Bush's visit.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and head of the Palestinian negotiating
team, Ahmed Qureia and their teams are scheduled to meet Monday to
discuss the core issues.
Olmert and Abbas are expected to sanction the framework devised by
Livni and Qureia, which calls for three types of negotiating meetings:
Olmert and Abbas' biweekly meeting, Livni and Qureia teams' meetings and
designated teams' meetings.