US envoy says no decision made on Iran attack
Outgoing Ambassador Richard Jones tells Ynet that to the best of his knowledge, no military operations expected in near future against Iranian nuclear facilities. Use of military force was last option, he says, adding US and Israel working in cooperation
The ambassador spoke on the backdrop of recent reports that Israel is planning to attack Iran's nuclear facilities by the end of the year.
The remarks were made during a farewell ceremony held in Jones' honor at the home of Deputy Foreign Minister Majalli Whbee in beit Jan.
US Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday that an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would be a high-risk move that could destabilize the Middle East.
Mullen said a war with Iran would be "extremely stressful" on the US military. But he made clear the United States would act to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if Tehran tried to block the key oil transport route in the Gulf. American forces are severely strained already by wars on two fronts - the nearly seven-year-old campaign in Afghanistan and more than five years in Iraq.
Outgoing Ambassador Jones also addressed the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, saying that it was likely that an agreement would be attained by the end of the year.
As for the talks between Israel and Syria, Jones denied that the US was against the negotiations, stating that this was an Israeli matter. He said that the US was not involved in the issue and has not expressed its stance.
He added, however, that the Americans had their doubts regarding the Syrians and that many Israelis were skeptical as well.
