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A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 5 december 2019
Israeli PM, meeting Pompeo, calls for more pressure on Iran

By ARON HELLER with Pompeo, insisting the
Associated Press strong support shown by
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — the Trump administration
Israel's prime minister on creates a rare opportunity
Wednesday praised the for Israel to pursue other ini-
tough U.S. sanctions on tiatives.
Iran, saying the financial He is eager for a political
pressure has sparked pro- boost at a time when he is
tests against Tehran's in- facing legal and political
fluence across the region struggles at home. Netan-
and urging even stronger yahu last month was indict-
action. ed on a series of corruption
Speaking alongside U.S. charges, and the country
Secretary of State Mike appears to be barreling to-
Pompeo before their meet- ward an unprecedented
ing, Netanyahu said "the third election in under 12
first subject I will raise is Iran, months.
the second subject is Iran Netanyahu's visit with Pom-
and so is the third." peo was their first since
"Iran is increasing its ag- the secretary of state an-
gression as we speak," he nounced a new American
added. "We are actively doctrine last month that
engaging in countering does not consider Israeli
that aggression." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in settlements a violation of
Israel considers Iran to be Jerusalem, Israel, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019. international law. It was
its greatest enemy, citing Associated Press the latest in a string of dip-
its military entrenchment lomatic gifts to Netanyahu
in neighboring Syria and its ing to develop a nuclear U.S. sanctions were creat- European countries join- by the Trump administra-
support for militant groups bomb — a charge Iran de- ing political and economic ing in the campaign, there tion.
across the region. Israel nies. problems for Iran, and that is still a "wide spectrum" of The Israeli leader said he
also accuses Iran of try- Earlier, Netanyahu said the while he has given up on options for ratcheting up was "very grateful" for the
the pressure. statement on settlements.
France's Macron wants Africa's Pompeo expressed support Netanyahu had earlier
for recent protests in Iran, said he would discuss his
approval on military presence saying "these are people proposal to annex the Jor-
that are seeking freedom dan Valley, a strategic part
and a reasonable way to of the West Bank. Such a
cades, Macron called for live, and they recognize move would draw con-
rethinking the country's in- the threat that's posed by demnation from the Pal-
volvement, and he called the kleptocrats who are estinians and much of the
Wednesday for a new running the Islamic Repub- world and almost certainly
"framework and political lic of Iran." extinguish any remaining
conditions" for the mission. Netanyahu last year wel- Palestinian hopes of gain-
He said France is not militar- comed the U.S. withdrawal ing independence.
ily involved in West Africa's from the international nu- The Palestinians seek all of
arid Sahel region for colo- clear deal with Iran along the West Bank, captured
nial, imperialist or econom- with subsequent American by Israel in 1967, as the
ic reasons. "We're there for sanctions. The sanctions, heartland of their hoped-
the security of the region, targeting Iran's vital oil sec- for state. Pompeo did not
and our own security," he tor, have hit the Iranian respond to a question
said. The French military economy hard. about the Jordan Valley.
operation enjoys broad In recent weeks, Iranian Netanyahu also said he
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a media support in France, which forces have reportedly would discuss a proposed
conference at the conclusion of a NATO leaders meeting at killed over 200 people in joint defense treaty with
The Grove hotel and resort in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, has suffered repeated, demonstrations against the Americans. The talks
Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019. deadly attacks by Islamic
Associated Press State extremists. The Islamic rising fuel prices. Demon- may also touch on an Is-
State in the Greater Sahara strations have also rocked raeli initiative to formalize
By SYLVIE CORBET sue with Mali, Burkina Faso, claimed responsibility for pro-Iran governments in already warming ties with
Associated Press Chad, Niger and Maurita- the helicopter crash with- Lebanon and Iraq, forcing Gulf states, who consider
PARIS (AP) — West African nia, countries that contrib- out offering evidence. leaders in both countries to Iran a common enemy, by
leaders need to make it ute to a regional counter- The helicopter crash deaths resign. signing non-belligerency
clear they want and need terror force, Macron said. have drawn new attention "We're seeing the Iranian agreements. The Trump
France's military presence, "Do they want our pres- to a worrying front in the empire totter. We see dem- administration already
French President Emman- ence, do they need us? I global fight against extrem- onstrations in Tehran, dem- has delivered a number
uel Macron said Wednes- want clear answers on this," ism, one in which France onstrations in Baghdad, of landmark victories to
day, just days after a he- Macron said, adding that and local countries have demonstrations in Beirut," Netanyahu, recognizing
licopter collision killed 13 such a statement is a con- pleaded for more support. Netanyahu said earlier. "It's contested Jerusalem as
French soldiers fighting Is- dition for keeping French In a surge of violence in re- important to increase this Israel's capital and recog-
lamic extremists in Mali last troops there. cent weeks, attackers often pressure against Iranian nizing Israel's annexation of
week. After the crash, which linked to the Islamic State aggression." the Golan Heights, which
France will organize a Dec. marked France's highest have killed scores of troops The Israeli leader said he it captured from Syria in
16 summit to discuss the is- military death toll in de- in the Sahel region.q would raise other issues 1967.q