Just days ahead of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s departure for Washington DC, sources on Capitol Hill are working with tenacious fervor to persuade Jerusalem to back down somewhat from its determined position regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

The prime minister will be addressing the annual AIPAC (The American Israel Public Affairs Committee) conference, as well as meeting with President Barak Obama, where the two will obviously discuss the Iranian crises.

According to media reports, there is a growing fear among members of the Obama administration that the Israel Air Force will launch an offensive against Iran with prior warning to Washington. According to an AP report from Tuesday morning, 5 Adar 5772, despite the impasse, Israel remains frustrated over America’s blasé attitude, not sharing Jerusalem’s sense of urgency regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Intelligence sources in the United States and “special operations” sources have been applying increased pressure on Jerusalem towards complying with White House demands.

One of the solutions being offered is permitting IAF jets to take off from American bases in the Mideast, which would solve the White House’s issue of advanced notification. This would however provide a boost to Israel, shortening the distance from takeoff to reaching the objective, significantly lowering some of the logistical complications associated with such an offensive.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak is in Washington where he is meeting with high-level officials in the Pentagon and Vice President Joe Biden, also addressing the Iranian issue.

Defense establishment officials in Israel deny that Israel is acting clandestinely to keep America in the dark, with an “unnamed very senior Israeli defense source” quoted as saying “Israel is committed to the safety of American forces no less than America is concerned for Israel’s safety, a mutual responsibility that cannot be undone”. The source is quoted as adding “America is well aware of the consequences if Iran goes nuclear”.

The source added that an Israeli attack places all US bases in the area at risk, as well as European bases, since Iran would view them as potential targets should the IAF strike. “Nevertheless, Israel never guaranteed it would give notice regarding an attack or the length of the warning time” the source is quoted as adding.

The source is quoted as concluding “The Americans understand the weight of such a decision, preventing Israel from launching an attack, a Middle East that includes a nuclear Iran. Therefore they cannot avoid this option, but they are just speaking about warning time”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)