US Ambassador: Israel blocking discussions to strengthen security
Dan Shapiro says Israel should start discussions with the US now to obtain increased military assistance for the next ten years while reassuring Israel: 'military option still on the table.'
"We need to recognize that there is disagreement between us, a deep disagreement about something very serious and important to both of our security interests. It's not a comfortable situation for good friends to be in," said Shapiro during an exclusive interview in Ynet's studio. He suggested starting "serious and professional" talks immediately after the nuclear agreement with Iran is approved by Congress.
"We can start our discussions on how to deal with the new reality, if the agreement is approved - what will our intelligence needs be, what will Israel's needs be in its struggle against weapons being provided to Hezbollah or other terrorist organizations in the region, what will its needs be in the field of missile defense."
According to Shapiro, who estimates that there is a high chance that Congress will approve the agreement with Iran, "maybe we'll reach an agreement on military assistance for the next ten years, and we can start these discussions now, even though we disagree on the agreement itself. It is Israel's decision not to conduct such talks at the moment."
Shapiro is sure that this is not a "bad agreement," as per Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "It is not a bad agreement. This is an agreement that we believe will ensure that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons. Nobody said that this agreement was perfect and there are things that maybe we would have preferred to see included in the agreement, but it is a good agreement. This agreement is effective on the main subject – which is preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons."
With respect to the Associated Press' exposure Wednesday that Iran is to oversee its own nuclear facility in Parchin, Shapiro said, "With regard to supervision, we can not go into all the details of the agreement with The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). It is a very professional organization and they say they are satisfied with all the conditions that will allow them to enter any site they need to.
"We are not giving up on any option, including a military option. When Obama took office as president, he discovered that there was no effective military option and he asked our army to come up with this option. We did it and now he also has this option and the willingness to use it if there is no other option, but it is better to use diplomacy and sanctions, and we used them to reach a point where we can ensure that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons during the agreement period."
Shapiro wanted to "reassure the citizens of Israel - we are committed to their safety, and that commitment is as strong as ever. It is in our interest, it is our moral obligation."
He also addressed the lack of progress between Israel and the Palestinians, saying, "We try to look at things realistically and it may be that there will be no negotiations in the next 18 months. At the moment there are no negotiations because of a lack of trust between the parties."
