Bolton: Trump Gave Bibi Green Light For Preemptive Israeli Strike On Iran Nuclear Sites

Among the new revelations and interesting tidbits found in John Bolton’s now leaked pre-published edition of “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” is that President Trump was said to be prepared to endorse an Israeli preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear sites.

In a section which describes the “elusive search” for an Arab-Israeli peace deal, Bolton writes that Trump told him at a moment of increased Israeli concerns over Iran’s nuclear development: 

“You tell Bibi that if he uses force, I will back him. I told him that, but you tell him again.”

Though the significant revelation has barely made a dent in US media, it generated multiple headlines in Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long held out the ‘option’ of a preemptive attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. 

But Israel’s political and defense establishment would likely never sign onto such a huge and aggressive military ‘first strike’ action without first securing Washington’s backing. Bolton’s book essentially says Tel Aviv has it under Trump. The former national security adviser even boasted he pushed a ‘military solution’ on Iran.

This as Israel perceives Iran is bent on developing nukes despite Tehran officials long assuring they are only interested in peaceful nuclear energy development. 

Oh no!! The pdf of Bolton’s book got leaked and people can download it and read it on the phones or iPads! That would mean he doesn’t get a royalty!! Oh no! The Room Where It Happened – John Bolton.pdf – Google Drive https://t.co/K7XgcQ63qT

— Ayelet Waldman (@ayeletw) June 21, 2020

In the section, which comes early in the book, Bolton reveals the following conversation with the president at the White House: 

“On Iran, I urged that he press ahead to withdraw from the nuclear agreement and explained why the use of force against Iran’s nuclear program might be the only lasting solution. ‘You tell Bibi [Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] that if he uses force, I will back him. I told him that, but you tell him again,’ Trump said, unprompted by me.” 

More recently Netanyahu has also claimed a ‘green light’ from the US administration to annex parts of the West Bank, including the Jordan Valley.

In related sections in Bolton’s book, various Syria conversations with Trump and among his security team are revealed, including details of chemical weapons incidents, the Kurds, Russian intervention in Syria, Turkey policy, and ‘Iranian expansion’. Some crucial sections from the book can be seen here compiled at the following Reddit thread.