President Obama began his visit to Israel on Wednesday with a series of public statements affirming his commitment to Israeli government policies. In a joint appearance, Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed their shared stance on confronting Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “If Iran decides to go for a nuclear weapon — that is, to actually manufacture the weapon — then it probably — then it will take them about a year.”
President Obama: “We prefer to resolve this diplomatically. And there’s still time to do so. Iran’s leaders must understand, however, that they have to meet their international obligations. And meanwhile, the international community will continue to increase the pressure on the Iranian government. The United States will continue to consult closely with Israel on next steps. And I will repeat: All options are on the table.”
In saying it would take a year for Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, Netanyahu appeared to be altering his own timeline on Iran to conform to President Obama’s.