Dennis Ross and Alan Dershowitz, high-profile supporters of both Israel and US President Barack Obama, told The Jerusalem Post Thursday they were confident the president would support Israel should it attack Iran in a last-ditch effort to stop a nuclear bomb, and that Obama would attack Iran himself if necessary.
Ross acknowledged that “there are some differences now” between the US and Israel, but he added that a “genuine effort is being made to manage those.” He also said that if Israel felt it faced an existential threat and had to use force to stop Iran, the US would support it doing so.
“The US as its one true ally in the world needs to be there and will be there. I have no doubt of that, regardless of who’s president,” Ross said.
Similarly, he said he was sure that if Obama felt all diplomatic options had been exhausted and Iran was getting close to having a nuclear bomb, “He’ll act.”
Dershowitz echoed that, based on his own conversations with Obama. He said that while “the administration can do and say a little more” so that Iran understood it won’t be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon, he trusted that Obama would take military action if it became necessary.
And Dershowitz stressed that he was “absolutely” certain the US would support Israel if, as a last resort, it undertook an attack on its own.
Despite some of his criticisms in the past, Dershowitz said as of now, he planned to vote for Obama in November.
