White House Chief of Staff: Thwarting Iran hinges on Israeli-Palestinian talks

The Jerulasem Post is reporting that White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, speaking to 300 American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) donors, said that thwarting Iran's nuclear threat to Israel is conditioned upon the progress of the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

Without the context of the statement it is hard to know exactly what Emanuel meant. Regardless, with statements like Emanuel's the White House could be putting Israel in a tough spot because it sets up Israel to be portrayed as the "bad guy" in the Middle East peace process. If Israel chooses not to go along with an Arab Initiative type of peace plan put forth by Obama then the White House can blame Israel for no peace. If Israel elects to defend itself against a nuclear armed Iran with a preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear sites the White House can blame Israel for no peace in the Middle East.

Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, in a Jerulasem Post interview said of the White House, "There's almost an eagerness to take on the Israeli government to make a point with the Arab world." The Jerusalem Post piece also notes that Gingrich described Obama's approach as "the clearest adoption of weakness since Jimmy Carter."

Since Benjamin Netanyahu is now the Israeli Prime Minister and since 66% of Israelis support military action against Iran if necessary it is clear that Israel will do what it feels is necessary to defend itself.