(Newser)
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As Mitt Romney prayed today at the Western Wall as part of his show of support for the Middle Eastern state, the region is getting more than its fair share of American politics. A breakdown:
- Sky News reports that a top Romney adviser told media that a nuclear Iran would be "unacceptable," and that "if Israel has to take action on its own, in order to stop Iran from developing that capability, the governor would respect that decision."
- Romney himself was less forceful, reports the AP, but said, "Make no mistake, the ayatollahs in Iran are testing our moral defenses. We will not look away nor will our country ever look away from our passion and commitment to Israel."
- Other reports have Romney similarly talking tough on Iran, vowing "zero tolerance" toward Iran's nuclear weapons program, according to the AP.
- Liberal Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported today that White House aide Thomas Donilon recently told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu about US contingency plans to bomb Iran if Tehran continues its nuclear program.
- Hours later, Israel denied any such meeting took place, reports Reuters. "Nothing in the article is correct," said a senior Israeli official. "Donilon did not meet the prime minister for dinner, he did not meet him one-on-one, nor did he present operational plans to attack Iran."
