White House Denies Offering Bunker-Buster Bombs
A White House spokesman denied reports that President Obama promised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bunker-buster bombs and refueling planes that could help in a military strike against Iran.
“In meetings the president had there was no such agreement proposed or reached,” the White House press secretary, Jay Carney, said at a press briefing Thursday.
When asked whether the issue was discussed in Israeli meetings with other U.S. officials, such as Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Carney answered he had no knowledge and said, “I would refer you to other officials.”
The Israeli daily Maariv had reported Thursday that Obama promised Israel bunker-buster bombs and other weaponry which could help it strike Iran on the condition Israel not attack this year.
An Israeli official told Reuters that a request for such assistance was made around the time of the prime minister’s visit. The Israeli official, however, labeled as “unrealistic” reports that there was an agreement to give such equipment to Israel in exchange for Israel agreeing to not attack Iran this year.
A U.S. official told Reuters that military capabilities were discussed during the Netanyahu-Panetta meeting but that no agreement was reached during those discussions.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30
