U.S.-Israeli "special relationship" damaged by Iran factor

by David Harris

JERUSALEM, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The traditionally warm ties between the United States and Israel have been strained since U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both came into office earlier this year. The tension has increased with an apparent difference of opinion on linkage between the Palestinian issue and Iran's nuclear program.

While the two subjects are seemingly unrelated, the Netanyahu government has made clear it sees Iran as the number-one topic that needs tackling immediately. However, the Obama administration argues the two issues must be dealt with simultaneously.

Washington's bid to smooth ruffled feathers went into full gear on Tuesday, when Obama hosted his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peresat the White House. Later this month he will also meet Netanyahu.

As Peres was meeting Obama, U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden and other officials, the United States was making clear what it expects of Israel on the nuclear front.

Following the Obama-Peres parley, the White House issued a statement which included reference to an exchange of views "on the opportunities and challenges, including the pursuit of a comprehensive peace in the Middle East and Iran's nuclear program that the present moment presents to achieving our countries' shared goal of peace and security for Israel and all of its neighbors."

"When Netanyahu meets Obama, he will ask him, and justifiably so, 'you say it's advantageous to build relations with Iran. How?'" said former Israeli foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami.

"I don't think Obama has clear answers," said the professor, who is currently vice president of the Toledo International Center for Peace in Spain.

Believing that Iran has a secret nuclear weapons program, the Netanyahu government wants to see Washington pushing for stricter sanctions against Tehran. Ben-Ami and other Middle East watchers say that is the best Israel can hope for from the United States.

"I don't see the Obama administration opting for military action against Iran," said Ben-Ami. "If the last U.S. administration didn't go for it and specifically told Israel not to attack Iran, then I can't see it happening under Obama."

Meanwhile, speaking at the third session of the preparatory committee for the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller said on Tuesday her government expects Israel to join the NPT.

Universal adherence to the NPT itself -- including by India, Israel, Pakistan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea -- also remains a fundamental objective of the United States, she said during the gathering at UN headquarters in New York.

This is part of the carrot and stick operation which analysts believe Obama is using in dealing with Israel; the carrot being sanctions against Iran.

As Israel continues to stress the Iranian theme, the Palestinians are urging Washington to push the Palestinian conflict to the top of the agenda.

"I am not criticizing Obama's suggestion (of dealing with the Iranian and Palestinian tracks at the same time) but we as Palestinians feel ours is a very important conflict and resolving it will help pacify the region a lot," said Muhammad Dajani, a political scientist at the Palestinian Al-Quds University.

"If there's calm here, it will lead to negotiations around the Middle East and help with the dialogue with the Iranians," said Dajani, adding that Palestinians are of the opinion that Netanyahuhas adopted the Iran-first argument as "a way to buy time to further establish the occupation."

However, Ben-Ami does not believe Netanyahu is deliberately trying to create disagreements with Obama as a time-wasting exercise or for any other reason.

"The Israel of Netanyahu is not heading for confrontation with Obama," he said.

In order for that to be the case, Netanyahu will have to at least give some lip service to compromise when in Washington later this month.

Biden has already made clear the U.S. policy agenda regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He chose to do so on Tuesday when he attended the annual conference of American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the main pro-Israel lobby in the United States.

While talking of the "bond" between Israel and the United States and advocating the Arab world makes "real gestures," he also called on Israel to "not build more settlements, dismantle existing outposts and allow the Palestinians' freedom of movement...This is a 'show me' deal -- not based on faith -- show me," he said.
Source : China view

Iran angered over films 'The Wrestler' and '300'

By Nasser Karimi, Associated Press Writer
TEHRAN, Iran — An adviser to Iran's president on Sunday demanded an apology from a team of visiting Hollywood actors and movie industry officials, including Annette Bening, saying films such as 300 and The Wrestler were "insulting" to Iranians.

Without an apology, members of Iran's film industry should refuse to meet with representatives from the nine-member team, said Javad Shamaqdari, the art and cinema adviser to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"In my viewpoint, it is a failure to have an official meeting with one who is insulting," Shamaqdari told The Associated Press.

The film 300 portrays the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C., in which a force of 300 Spartans held off a massive Persian army at a mountain pass in Greece for three days. It angered many Iranians for the way Persians are depicted as decadent, sexually flamboyant and evil in contrast to the noble Greeks.

Iranians also criticized The Wrestler starring Mickey Rourke as a rundown professional wrestler who is preparing for a rematch with his old nemesis, "The Ayatollah." During a fight scene, "The Ayatollah" tries to choke Rourke with an Iranian flag before Rourke pulls the flagpole away, breaks it and throws it into the cheering crowd.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Barack Obama | Iraq | Hollywood | Iran | Tehran | Greece | Spartans | Sciences | Greeks | President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad | Sean Penn | Islamic Revolution | Academy of Motion Picture Arts | Universal Pictures | Mickey Rourke | Shiite Iran | Annette Bening | Persians | Alfre Woodard | Sid Ganis | Thermopylae | Ayatollah

Neither movie was shown in Iran.

While American actors such as Sean Penn have traveled to Iran, it is rare for such a large group to visit. In February, Iran denied visas to a U.S. women's badminton team that had been invited to compete in a tournament in Iran.

The group includes the President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Sid Ganis; actors Bening, and Alfre Woodard; producer William Horberg; AMPAS Special Events Programmer and Exhibitions Curator Ellen Harrington; and Tom Pollock, the former Universal Pictures chairman.

According to the website of Iran's Cinema Association, the group arrived Friday in Iran. They met a group of Iranian artists on Saturday, and will be holding educational seminars in directing, screenwriting, acting, producing, marketing and film distribution.

Shamaqdari says Iranians will warmly host the visiting Americans "but it will not stop Iranians from demanding an apology."

The visits come as President Barack Obama has indicated a new willingness to open up relations with Iran.

Relations between the two countries have been strained over concerns in the West that Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapons program, something Tehran denies. The U.S. has also alleged that overwhelmingly Shiite Iran supports Shiite militias in Iraq, which Iran says is not true.

The two countries have not had diplomatic relations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the hostage-taking at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.