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Biden: Israel can decide for itself on Iran

July 5, 2009

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel is "entitled" to decide for itself how to respond to Iran's nuclear program, Joe Biden said.

"Israel can determine for itself -- it's a sovereign nation -- what's in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else," the U.S. vice president told host George Stephanopoulos Sunday morning on ABC's "This Week."

Biden said Israel could decide to attack Iran whether the United States agrees or not.

"They're entitled to do that. Any sovereign nation is entitled to do that. But there is no pressure from any nation that's going to alter our behavior as to how to proceed," Biden said, adding: "What we believe is in the national interest of the United States, which we, coincidentally, believe is also in the interest of Israel and the whole world."

Pressed by Stephanopoulos, Biden said he was "not going to speculate" on whether or not the United States would grant Israel over-flight rights in Iraq to get to Iran.
 

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