The White House upped the stakes Monday in the battle over the rhetoric surrounding a possible military strike on Iran’s nuclear program

The White House upped the stakes Monday in the battle over the rhetoric surrounding a possible military strike on Iran’s nuclear program, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Tony Blinken, Vice President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, declared that the “loud talk about Iran” was “incredibly counter-productive,” echoing comments made by US President Barack Obama on the same issue.

But he continued by saying that this talk not only drives up the price of oil, conferring more profits to Iran – a point Obama has made – but it also hurts the ‘sanctions efforts’ and the view of the US-Israel relationship, the report said.

“It dilutes the impact of sanctions,” he charged, appearing at the J Street annual conference. “And it feeds false hope that it’s possible to drive a wedge between the United States and Israel.”

In regard to dangers facing the US-Israel relationship, he warned, “Here’s what could actually harm US-Israeli relations and the security of the Jewish state: To subject either to the vagaries of partisan politics or turning them into election- year talking points.”

 “This is not about stifling discussion or disagreement or dissent,” Blinken countered Monday. “It’s about a very simple proposition: When it comes to discussing US policy toward Israel... by all means, let’s question each other’s judgments. But let’s not question each other’s motives.”

Blinken said that he welcomed a debate on the topic, and that there would occasionally be differences between how Israel and America view issues, it added.

“It does’t mean we’re always going to see eye to eye with Israel. Even the closest of allies disagree – and I know this will come as a surprise to you – just as Israelis disagree amongst themselves,” Blinken told J Street. “When we disagree, we make our views clear. It’s a sign of mutual respect. It’s a sign of a relationship robust enough and mature enough to overcome whatever tactical differences we may have.”

He also said that he welcomed a debate with the progressive lobby itself on how to resolve the impasse between Israelis and Palestinians.