Israel prime minister says he will stand up to Obama

Argentina Star Saturday 9th May, 2009

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Russian reporters he is ready to stand up to U.S. President Barack Obama.

Netanyahu meets with President Obama in Washington in ten days time.

On Friday the prime minister said his country would never give up the Golan Heights, which Israel claimed in the Six Day War in 1967.

He said at his meeting with Mr Obama he would not yield on any issue which comprised the security of Israel. "Remaining on the Golan will ensure Israel has a strategic advantage in cases of military conflict with Syria," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu who was one of the major proponents of the war with Iraq, is now pushing for regional and co-operating in encountering any nuclear threat from Iran.

At the annual conference of AIPAC earlier this week he told the audience, "Friends, there is something significant that is happening today in the Middle East, and I can say that for the first time in my lifetime, I believe for the first time in a century, that Arabs and Jews see a common danger. This wasn’t always the case. In the ‘30’s and ‘40’s, many in the Arab world supported another country believing that that was their hope. In the ‘60’s, ‘70’ and ‘80’s, they supported another country that was at odds with the Jewish state. But this is no longer the case."

"There is a great challenge afoot. But that challenge also presents great opportunities," said Netanyahu. "The common danger is echoed by Arab leaders throughout the Middle East; it is echoed by Israel repeatedly; it is echoed by Europeans, by many responsible governments around the world. And if I had to sum it up in one sentence, it is this: Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. If I had to sum up the opportunity in one word, it would be cooperation – cooperation between Israel and the Arab world and cooperation between Israel and the Palestinians."