(JTA) — An Israeli strike against Iran “could happen in a matter of months,” Sen. Ted Cruz reportedly told a U.S. Jewish security group.
Cruz (R-Texas) at a meeting of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, or JINSA, said Tuesday that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appears confident that “there is no credible deterrence from the United States” to prevent the Islamic Republic from progress in its nuclear development.
“That means that if they keep going forward, I think if it comes down to it, I have real confidence that the nation of Israel will act to preserve her national security, even if this administration will not act first. And that could happen sooner rather than later — that could happen in a matter of months,” he told JINSA’s Spring National Leadership Meeting in Washington, according to the Daily Caller, the only media present at the meeting.
Cruz met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel in May.
The Texas Republican said he believes the Obama administration has been practicing “a policy of weakness and appeasement” when it comes to Iran and that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is a responsibility of the United States.
“I don’t think Israel should have to act to prevent Iranian nuclear-weapons capability because it is so profoundly in U.S. national security interests that we should act, rather than forcing Israel to act, but I do take some comfort that if this administration will not defend our interests, at the very least Israel will defend her interests,” Cruz said.
Cruz reportedly is considering a bid for the presidency in 2016.
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