Ettinger: Preemption our Only Option on Iran

IsraelNN staff
A7 News

Former Israeli liaison to the United States Congress Yoram Ettinger believes that Israeli leaders focus on the wrong people when they visit the U.S. Instead of worrying first and foremost about the president, leaders should focus on the congress, he says."It seems to me that it behooves an Israeli prime minister who goes to Washington to focus first and foremost on the sovereign, and the sovereign is the American people,” Ettinger explained on IsraelNN TV. “And the representatives of the sovereign are first and foremost the legislators on Capitol Hill.”

The current attitude in the American administration is “a source of concern,” he believes, pointing to America's willingness to talk to Iran for the next six months as proof. The U.S. has agreed to postpone action on Iran “as if there haven't been talks over the last six years that have played into the hands of Iran,” he says.



What Israel must make clear to the U.S. when it comes to Iran, according to Ettinger, is that there is no option other than preemption. “We do not have the option of deterrence or of retaliation.... We only have the option of preemption and prevention,” he said.

Regarding rumors that Netanyahu has promised not to carry out a surprise attack on Iran, Ettinger is skeptical. If Israel were to inform the U.S. prior to a strike on Iran, both Israeli and American interests would suffer, he says.

In addition to explaining Israel's position regarding Iran, Netanyahu must discuss the dangers of creating a Palestinian Authority state in his meeting with U.S. President Obama, he says. A PA state would undermine American interests in the Middle East and worldwide, he explains, and Netanyahu must “introduce the [Oba administration to the reality” that a PA state would create.