U.S. President Barack Obama will not start a new crisis with Israel over its suspected nuclear capability, according to Bar-Ilan Political Science Prof. Gerald Steinberg. He said that the United States already "has enough complications" with Israel over the issue of building for Jews in all of Jerusalem and is not looking for additional problems.
The possibility of American pressure on Israel to sign a nuclear non-proliferation treaty could be raised next week, when Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu meets U.S. President Barack Obama at a nuclear summit. Israel’s official policy is “nuclear ambiguity,” meaning it does not acknowledge possessing nuclear weapons. Signing a non-proliferation treaty would counter that policy.
“Israel has understandings with the United States, and even Europe, that it is an exception and that Asian countries are much more of a worry,” he explained to Voice of Israel government radio.
The American government may have given Prime Minister Netanyahu assurances that the United States will respect Israel’s position on nuclear armament. Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said on Wednesday, "This policy of ambiguity constitutes one of the pillars of Israeli national security and the Americans consider it very important. There is no reason for the Americans to change their approach or for Israel to change its position."
Israel and the United States reached an understanding in 1969 that Israel would not conduct any nuclear tests and that the American government would not pressure Israel on its nuclear program
Prof. Steinberg (pictured), who also directs the NGO Monitor watchdog organization, declared that President Obama’s latest attempts to place sanctions against Iran are too late to stop the Islamic Republic from attaining nuclear capability.
“North Korea already has nuclear capability, and Iran is moving in that direction,” he said. The fact is that the timetable for sanctions is a year old, and things are only just beginning to move. It really is too late. Until now, there have been only good intentions."