US criticise Israeli stance on Iran’s nuclear programme

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance on Iran’s nuclear programme “may not be correct”, US Secretary of State John Kerry said.

He was reacting to a speech by Netanyahu who said that the US and others were “accepting that Iran will gradually, within a few years, develop capabilities to produce material for many nuclear weapons”.

"I respect the White House and the president of the United States but on such a fateful matter, that can determine whether or not we survive,” Netanyahu said. “I must do everything to prevent such a great danger for Israel.”

However, Kerry told senators that US President Barack Obamas’ policy was clear in that he was against Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.

Netanyahu will address US Congress next week, after an invitation by Republican leaders that was criticised by Democrats the White House.

The White House have described the lack of consultation by Republican leaders with the Obama administration prior to inviting Netanyahu as a breach of protocol.

"The president has said the relationship between the US and Israel can't just be reduced to a relationship between the Republican party and the Likud party,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Wednesday.

US National Security Adviser Susan Rice warned that Netanyahu's visit was "destructive to the fabric of the US-Israeli relationship".

Several Democratic Congress members, including Vice-President Joe Biden have said that they will not attend the Israeli leader’s speech.

Netanyahu had earlier rejected an invitation to meet Senate Democrats privately, as this "could compound the misperception of partisanship" surrounding his trip.

Obama will not meet Netanyahu next week, with the White House citing the "long-standing practice" of not meeting foreign government leaders close to elections. Israel will hold its general elections in mid-March, with Netanyahu fighting a tough campaign against the Israeli Labour Party’s Yitzhak Herzog, who has hit out at the prime minister's cooler relations with Obama.