Kerry tries to calm Israel

[Jesus Malverde]

Source: Politico

Secretary of State John Kerry sought to pacify Israeli worries over an emerging nuclear deal with Iran in an interview aired Sunday, dismissing some concerns as brought on by “hysteria” over the possible agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been one of the harshest critics the U.S.-led framework deal with the Islamic Republic, which offers it sanctions relief in exchange for scaling back its contested nuclear program.

Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran an existential threat, citing hostile Iranian rhetoric toward the Jewish state, Iran’s missile capabilities and its support for violent militant groups. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Speaking to Israel’s Channel 10 television, Kerry said the deal wouldn’t affect American options to counter any possible effort by Iran to build atomic weapons.

“I say to every Israeli that today we have the ability to stop them if they decided to move quickly to a bomb and I absolutely guarantee that in the future we will have the ability to know what they are doing so that we can still stop them if they decided to move to a bomb,” Kerry said.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/kerry-tries-to-calm-israel-117579.html#ixzz3Z8ycxegb

[DallasNE]

1. Don't Think Calling Hysteria "Hysteria" Is A Good Diplomatic Move

Those kind of fighting words only cause people to dig their heels in deeper and not hear the rest of the message. You can be sure that is the one word the Israeli's will throw back in Kerry's face. He probably should have said something like "emotional excitability" over the pending agreement.

[karynnj]

4. "emotional excitability" sounds worse to me than hysteria

In reality it IS hysteria that is created by Netanyahu and others. There were reports at one point that one concern was that Iran would follow the agreement for 10 years -- and then when no one is prepared for it, build a nuclear bomb. Given that they are in a position now - where if things fail - with or without sanctions - they could (if they wanted) have a bomb in months, that position suggests that getting a bomb is NOT what is the concern here.

Reading between the lines, Israel wants to prevent Iran from gaining any power or any acceptance in the world they don't now have -- seeing them as likely to become the most powerful country in the region. It has been odd, that where, it has seemed here that maybe if we get this agreement, we can then work on other issues with Iran -- there, that seems to be what they fear.

Not to mention, in this period before Israel forms its government, I suspect that many are using this -- just as Bush/Cheney used terrorism to keep America in fear and assure their reelection.

I am sure Kerry chooses his words carefully -- and yes, I assume that he did want to caution against Israel potentially being guilty of apartheid - and note he never backed down on the problem -- just the word - that had also been used by Israelis and was needed to get their attention.

[RiverNoord]

5. He knew exactly what he was saying.

The Obama administration despises Netanyahu and the entire right-wing extremist bloc that has been and will likely remain in power. They have no interest whatsoever in anything resembling a reasonable peace with the Palestinians and love the cover of occasional very small-scale attacks from Gaza and the West Bank. Such attacks facilitate their constant land-stealing.

[McKim]

2. Hysteria is What Netanyahu Needs to Stay in Power and Help His Neocon Brothers

The hysteria has been turned way up in Israel. And it is easy to play the fear card there after all they have been through. It helps keep
Netanyahu in power and helps his Neocon friends here in the U.S. This hysteria and Islamophobia helps the Neocons stay in power here too. Our political discourse has become all emotion and bragadocio and few facts and ittle rationality. Another word for this is "truthiness" This is a dangerous trend.

[jwirr]

3. Netanyahu does not want Israelis to be calm. He rules by fear.