Sullivan's visit lowered the threshold of concern in Israel: "The gaps between us and the United States are smaller than we thought"

According to senior Israeli officials, Biden's National Security Adviser meetings with Bennett, Lapid and Gantz eased tensions over US policy on Iran and created a sense that the Americans were attentive to Israel's concerns. "It was a significant day, there was progress in understanding between the parties."

Lightning Ravid

22/12/2021

Wednesday, December 22, 2021, 9:40 p.m.

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

• Share on general

• Comments

  Comments

In the video: Netanyahu - Sullivan meeting (Photo: GPO)

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's meetings in Jerusalem today (Wednesday) with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Defense Minister Bnei Gantz allayed Israel's concerns about US policy on the Iranian issue and created a sense that the Biden administration was attentive to Israeli concerns. Walla!

Four senior Israeli officials who participated in talks with Sullivan.

In recent weeks, in parallel with the resumption of nuclear talks between Iran and the powers in Vienna, concerns in the Prime Minister's Office have increased, as has tensions between the Israeli government and the Biden administration.

Sullivan's visit has lowered the bar of tension.

According to senior Israeli officials, during his meetings in Jerusalem, Sullivan outlined three scenarios for the coming weeks: Return to the 2015 nuclear deal - a scenario for which Sullivan sounded skeptical, an interim agreement based on a 60% Iran uranium enrichment in exchange for easing sanctions A threshold state, or an explosion in the diplomatic route and the imposition of further sanctions on Iran by the United States and the superpowers.

More on Walla!

U.S. National Security Adviser in Meeting with Bennett: "We are at a critical time point in terms of security"

To the full article

Bennett and Sullivan, Today (Photo: Government Press Office, Haim Tzach)

An Israeli official told Walla! Because Bennett appreciated the fact that Sullivan arrived in Israel at this time - a few days before Christmas and when the Biden administration deals with many other urgent issues. The senior Israeli official said that this indicates that the US administration is attentive to the concerns that Israel has been voicing in recent weeks on the Iranian issue.

At the beginning of the meeting with Bennett, Sullivan said that President Biden sent him to talks in Jerusalem a few days before Christmas because he believed it was very important to "sit together and formulate a common strategy and vision" on the Iranian issue and find a way to secure Israel and the United States.

The senior Israeli official noted that the talks between Bennett and Sullivan were very significant and could have a practical impact on US and Israeli policy on the Iranian issue. "It was a significant day," said the senior Israeli official. "There has been progress in understanding between the parties, after there was a time of maturation. We feel a little calmer after the talks today."

Sullivan and Lapid meeting, today (Photo: Government Press Office, Shlomi Amsalem)

Another senior Israeli official said that after talks with Sullivan, it became clear that the US administration was "in a better place than we thought" when it came to Iran, and that the gaps between Israel and the United States on the issue "turned out to be smaller than we thought."

Two senior Israeli officials who took part in talks with Sullivan said the White House National Security Adviser had made it clear that for the administration the window of opportunity for talks with Iran on a return to the nuclear deal would close in late January or early February. The nucleus until then.

The issue of an interim agreement between Iran and the superpowers has arisen in all the meetings that Sullivan has in Israel.

Bennett, Ganz and Lapid all three expressed opposition to such a move.

They told Sullivan that the Iranian economy was in deep crisis and that the flow of billions of dollars to Iran, for example as part of an interim agreement, would greatly strengthen them and also allow them to strengthen their presence in the region - which would have a detrimental effect on Israel's security.

"We look at things as if Iran is already enriching uranium to 90% and we do not think anything needs to be paid to the Iranians so that they do not do that," Foreign Minister Lapid told Sullivan.

Sullivan and Lapid, Today (Photo: Government Press Office, Shlomi Amsalem)

An Israeli official who attended the meeting between Bennett and Sullivan said that the talks in Vienna were entering decisive moments and that Israel wanted to continue the positive progress achieved in the talks with Biden's national security adviser. "We understand the situation in America and also understand their needs, but do not compromise on our interests. Therefore, we tried to give Sullivan something he could work with," the senior Israeli official said.

Simultaneously with the talks with Bennett, Lapid and Gantz held talks with Sullivan and his delegation on Iran with an Israeli team led by National Security Adviser Eyal Hulta. At the end of the talks, a joint statement was issued stating that the two sides discussed ways to curb the Iranian threat, including the Iranian nuclear program and activities in the region.

"The parties have agreed that Iran's nuclear program is advancing rapidly and poses a threat to world peace and security," the White House said in a statement. "Sullivan and Hulta stressed that Israel and the United States are united in their determination to ensure that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons. "

• news

• Political-political

Tags

• The National Security Headquarters

• United States

• Iran

• Naftali Bennett

• Yair Lapid