JERUSALEM: The United States turned down Israeli requests for military hardware to help it prepare for an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, a front-page report in Israel’s Haaretz newspaper said yesterday.
The US viewed the request as a sign that Israel is in the advanced stages of preparations to attack Iran, Haaretz said, quoting “senior Israeli officials”. The US, therefore, warned Israel against attacking, saying such a strike would undermine American interests. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak presented their request in a meeting on the Iranian issue with US President George W. Bush when he visited Israel in May, Haaretz said.
They asked for specific items of military equipment, as well as diplomatic and security backing, said the Israeli newspaper. The Bush administration studied Israel’s request after his return to Washington. The request led administration officials to suspect that Israel was planning to attack Iran within the next few months and warned Tel Aviv against such action. As compensation, Washington offered to improve Israel’s defenses against surface-to-surface missiles. Israel responded by saying it reserves the right to take whatever action it deems necessary if diplomatic efforts to halt Iran’s nuclearization fail.
According to Haaretz, Israel had initially hoped that Bush would order a US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities before leaving office, but came to the conclusion this was unlikely. The Haaretz report did not specify what weapons systems Israel had requested. It said Washington had told Israel its aircraft would be denied permission to use Iraqi airspace to reach Iran.
