Israel must work with US, EU on Iran nuke threat, former premier says

‘When the time comes, everything that needs to be done, will be done — in a decisive way,’ says Olmert

By Peter James Spielmann 4 December 2012, 5:52 am

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Then-US president George W. Bush welcomes then-prime minister Ehud Olmert to the Oval Office of the White House, May 2006 (photo credit: Avi Ohayon/GPO/Flash90)

NEW YORK (AP) — Former prime minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that his country must work with the United States and Europe to end the threat of a nuclear weapons-armed Iran.

Olmert did not say if he will run against his bitter rival Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel’s Jan. 22 national election, but he certainly seemed to be campaigning to oust the incumbent.

He accused Netanyahu of using the Iranian issue as an excuse to avoid dealing with the Palestinians. During Netanyahu’s nearly four years in office, peace efforts with the Palestinians have remained frozen.

“It is true that Israel will not be able to tolerate a nuclear Iran and I am sure that America understands it,” Olmert told an audience of Jewish-American supporters at the Carlyle Hotel.

“And I’m sure that when the time will come, according to the judgment of the international community led by the United States, and Europe, and the state of Israel, everything that needs to be done, will be done — in a decisive way,” Olmert said.