Netanyahu in Ottawa ahead of U.S. visit
Posted March 4, 2012 4:50 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
On the eve of his talks with U.S. President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Obama’s speech to the pro-Israel U.S. lobbying group AIPAC on Sunday.
In the speech, Obama pledged his staunch support for the Jewish state and argued that international sanctions on Iran must be given more time to work.
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa after Obama spoke, Netanyahu highlighted parts of the speech where Obama said “all options” remain on the table – a reference to the possibility of military action if necessary to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Netanyahu said he appreciated that Obama “made clear that when it comes to a nuclear-armed Iran, containment is simply not an option.”
“Perhaps most important of all, I appreciated the fact that he said that Israel must be able to defend itself, by itself, against any threat,” Netanyahu added.
Obama’s meeting with Netanyahu on Monday comes amid U.S. fears that Israel might opt to strike Iran on its own if it is not convinced of U.S. resolve to stop Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Obama is expected to urge Israel’s prime minister to avoid a premature strike on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities.
