Israel analysts shocked by Obamas

comments on sanctions, S-300 supply

This is the new America. We had better get used to it, says TV commentator after
president leaves door open to Irans sanctions demand, defends Putins missile
sale

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, looks toward US President Barack Obama as he speaks to reporters in
the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, March 2013 (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

By Loveday Morris-April 17 at 7:44 PM

Is raeli analysts expressed shock and amazement Friday night at US President Barack
Obamas stated openness to Irans demand for the immediate lifting of all economic
sanctions, and his defense of Russias agreement to supply a sophisticated air
defense system to Iran.
There was no immediate official Israeli response to the presidents comments, which
were made after the start of Shabbat in Israel, when politicians generally do not work.
Jaws dropped around the studio, said the Channel 10 News diplomatic commentator
Ben Caspit, as news broke of Obamas declared empathy for Russian President
Vladimir Putins decision to supply Tehran with the S-300 missile defense system.
Obama is something else, Caspit added. Hes decided to take America out of the
wars
The stations news anchor, Alon Ben David, chipped in, Hes amazed that the

Russians honored an agreement with him [for this long]? Thats what is astonishing.
Responded Caspit, This is the new America. We had better get used to it.
Channel 10 also quoted unnamed senior Israeli diplomatic officials saying the prospect
of Israel derailing the deal taking shape in US-led talks with Iran on its nuclear
program was now zero. The Iran issue is finished, the officials were quoted saying.

President Barack Obama speaks during a joint news conference with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in the
East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, April 17, 2015. (photo credit: AP Photo/J. David Ake)

In Washington earlier on Friday, Obama said he was surprised that Russias

suspension of missile sales to Iran had held this long.
Obama noted that Putin had previously suspended the sale at our request. I am
frankly surprised that it held this long, given that they were not prohibited by sanctions
from selling these defensive weapons.
Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has furiously protested the planned
supply of the advanced systems, and phoned Putin this week to try to persuade him to
reconsider, but was rebuffed. Israel fears the S-300s would complicate any military
intervention as a last resort to thwart Irans nuclear drive. It also fears Iran could
supply the missile defense systems to Syria or Hezbollah, diluting Israels air
supremacy over Syria and Lebanon.

A Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system on display at an undisclosed location in Russia (photo credit: AP)

Obama on Friday also left open the door to creative negotiations in response to
Irans demand that punishing sanctions be immediately lifted as part of a nuclear deal,
even though the US has said the framework agreement reached in Lausanne earlier
this month calls for the penalties to be removed over time.
Asked whether he would definitively rule out lifting sanctions at once as part of a final
deal aimed at keeping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, Obama said he didnt
want to get ahead of negotiators in how to work through the potential sticking point. He
said his main concern is making sure that if Iran violates an agreement, sanctions can
quickly be reinstated the so-called snap back provision.
How sanctions are lessened, how we snap back sanctions if theres a violation, there
are a lot of different mechanisms and ways to do that, Obama said. He said part of
the job for Secretary of State John Kerry and the representatives of five other nations
working to reach a final deal with Iran by June 30 is to sometimes find formulas that
get to our main concerns while allowing the other side to make a presentation to their
body politic that is more acceptable.
Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani
insisted last week that they would not sign a deal unless all sanctions are lifted right
after an agreement is signed. Obama initially portrayed their comments as a reflection
of internal political pressure, while pointing out that the framework agreement
provides for sanctions to be phased out only once international monitors verify that
Tehran is abiding by the limitations.

Posted by Thavam