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JERUSALEM — The
intelligence communities of Israel and the United States differ over
Iran’s progress toward nuclear weapons.

“I think that beyond that
there is, of course, a certain difference in perspective and difference
in judgment, difference in the internal clocks and difference in
capabilities,” Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said.

In a
Feb. 26 address to the Washington Institute, Mr. Barak acknowledged that
Israel and the United States might not bridge their differences over
Iran’s capabilities. He said the U.S. objections to Israel’s assessment
should not block any campaign against Tehran’s nuclear program.

“And
I don’t think that there is a need to coordinate in this regard,” Mr.
Barak said. “That should be understood. It should be an exchange of
views. We do not need to coordinate every step.”

 The statement marked a rare occasion that Mr. Barak, regarded
as the most U.S.-oriented member of the Israeli Cabinet, played down
the need to coordinate with the administration of President Barack
Obama. Mr. Barak, however, stressed that Israel supported Mr. Obama’s
policy to employ diplomacy rather than military means against Iran.

 “We
clearly support the attempt to solve it through diplomacy,” Mr. Barak
said.

 The Israeli government has been... >>>