U.S. will defend Israel, Obama warns

WASHINGTON, April 6 (UPI) -- In a blunt reassurance of Israel, President Barack Obama said in an interview the United States would defend Israel despite a nuclear agreement with Iran.

He told the interviewer, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, Iran and the Middle East should know that "If anyone messes with Israel, America will be there."

"I (am) absolutely committed to making sure that they (Israel) maintain their qualitative military edge, and that they can deter any potential future attacks, but what I'm willing to do is to make the kinds of commitments that would give everybody in the neighborhood, including Iran, a clarity that if Israel were to be attacked by any state, that we would stand by them. And that, I think, should be ... sufficient to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see whether or not we can at least take the nuclear issue off the table."

His comments came after Israel and other critics objected to last week's proposed agreement between Iran and Western powers, spelling out limits to Iran's nuclear development in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Israel, which has been the targets of Iranian threats, has claimed the treaty is overly advantageous to Iran, and is imperils Israel.

Obama said he understood the concerns of Israeli President Binyamin Netanyahu, who has forcefully denounced U.S. policy toward Iran, noting Israelis "have every right to be concerned about Iran," since Iran has promised to "destroy Israel" over "venomous anti-Semitic ideals." However, Obama called the treaty "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to limit the spread of nuclear weapons in the Middle East.

President Obama added he was also worried that the negotiations with Iran have stressed U.S. relations with Israel. Obama and Netanyahu have publicly disagreed on the effects of the outcome, and Netanyahu has found supportive colleagues among Republican Party members in the U.S. Senate.

"Part of what has always made the US-Israeli relationship so special is that it has transcended party, and I think that has to be preserved," Obama said. There has to be the ability for me to disagree with a policy on settlements, for example, without being viewed as ... opposing Israel."

The interview was conducted Saturday.