US Admonishes Israel not to ‘Betray’ its Trust
March 2, 2015Top spokespeople for US President Barack Obama’s administration on Monday night echoed warnings that a release of classified information on Iran talks would be a “betrayal,” after an unnamed official was quoted saying Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will detail the deal being formed with Iran in his US Congress address Tuesday.
Earlier on Monday an Israeli official said Israel is familiar with the emerging agreement with Iran and that Netanyahu will elaborate on it in
his congressional address, sparking US Secretary of State John Kerry to warn against revealing details – despite his having claimed a week ago that Israel didn’t know the details in an attempt to downplay Israeli opposition to the deal.
Kerry’s deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf on Monday night said discussing the contents of classified briefings by US officials to Israelis would “betray” America’s trust, reports AFP.
“We’ve continuously provided detailed classified briefings to Israeli officials to keep them updated and to provide context for how we are approaching getting to a good deal,” she told reporters in Washington. “Any release of any kind of information like that would, of course, betray that trust.”
That message was reiterated by White House press secretary Josh Earnest on Monday night, who said the White House is “concerned” at how unnamed Israeli officials in several recent reports are using information to “distort” America’s negotiating position with Iran.
He said their doing so “is something that is counter-productive, and that we are not appreciative of to put it mildly.”
“The United States has been providing our Israeli allies regular detailed classified briefings to give them the context about the progress that we’re making in the context of these conversations” with Iran, said Earnest.
Echoing Harf, Earnest added “the release of that information would betray the trust between our allies and it certainly is inconsistent with trust between allies.”
The nuclear talks are approaching a March 31 deadline, with Netanyahu warning that the deal being formed will leave Iran with nuclear capabilities and allow it to remain an existential threat to Israel.
Harf’s and Earnest’s comments come a day before Netanyahu’s Congress speech, and come on the heels of reports that America has cut intelligence cooperation with Israel regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
On Monday the US denied Israeli reports that it plans to cut defense aid to Israel over the disagreement. Previously another report by a Kuwaiti paper claimed that Obama had threatened to shoot down an IAF strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities; the US denied that report as well.
Similar posts
-
Israel Is Held To A Higher Standard Than Any Country
April 25, 2024In the intricate tapestry of global affairs, one nation stands out for enduring scrutiny and condem...
-
Israel Has The Most Moral Military In The World
April 10, 2024In the heart of a region often riddled with conflict, Israel stands out not only for its technologi...
-
The Resilience of the Israeli People
April 2, 2024Visitors from around the world have seen Hamas's October 7th Massacre's destruction in southern Isr...
-
Israel: Small Size, Big Impact
March 21, 2024Nestled along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is a land of immense historical sig...
-
Israelis Are Fighting For Their Lives
February 21, 2024By Jonathan S. Tobin The world looks a lot different from Kibbutz Kfar Aza than it does in the U...
-
Over 2 Million Arabs Live In Israel
January 23, 2024In the complex landscape of the Middle East, where diverse cultures and identities intersect, Israe...
-
'Fauda' Star Idan Amedi Injured Fighting in Gaza
January 8, 2024Despite the severity of his injuries, Amedi's father assured Israeli news channels that his life is...
-
Israel Is A Great Country To Live In
December 28, 2023Nestled at the crossroads of the Middle East, Israel stands as a vibrant and dynamic nation, offeri...