[On Wednesday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel has begun indirect
peace talks with Syria. Olmert's office issued a statement that the talks
were under the auspices of Turkey. "The two sides stated their intention to
conduct these talks in good faith and with an open mind," the statement
said.]
The Israeli intelligence community has assessed that Bush would set a
deadline for Iranian compliance with United Nations Security Council
resolutions to end Teheran's uranium enrichment program. The officials said
Bush might
then order a massive air strike on Iran by the end of 2008.
In an unusual move, the White House quickly responded to the Israeli
Army Radio report that Bush was considering an attack on Iran. The White
House said although it has not ruled out a military option, the preferred
U.S. option was to end Iran's nuclear weapons "through peaceful diplomatic
means."
"We are working to bring tough diplomatic and economic pressure on the
Iranians to get them to change their behavior and to halt their uranium
enrichment program," the statement said.
During his visit, Bush told Israel's Knesset that the United States
would help Israel against any Iranian threat. Bush also warned against the
ambitions of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"America stands with you in firmly opposing Iran's nuclear weapons
ambitions," Bush said. "Permitting the world's leading sponsor of terror to
possess the world's deadliest weapon would be an unforgivable betrayal of
future generations. For the sake of peace, the world must not allow Iran to
have a nuclear weapon."
