JERUSALEM – US Vice President Mike Pence is calling the Iranian nucleardeal a “disaster” and says the Trump administration will no longer certifyit.

Instead, Pence told the Israeli parliament on Monday that theadministration is “committed to enact effective and lasting restraints onIran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.”

Pence has received a warm welcome in Israel, which has praised the Americandecision last month to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. PrimeMinister Benjamin Netanyahu is among the fiercest opponents to the nuclearaccord the Obama administration reached with Iran, saying it could pave apath for the Islamic Republic acquiring a nuclear weapon that couldthreaten Israel’s existence.

Pence says that the deal is not fixed and that in the coming months, theUnited States will “withdraw from the deal.

Vice President Mike Pence is “strongly” urging the Palestinians to returnto the negotiating table.

In a speech to the Israeli parliament, Pence said on Monday that “peace canonly come through dialogue.”

The Palestinians have angrily protested the U.S. decision to recognizeJerusalem as Israel’s capital and say the U.S. cannot be trusted as amediator. They have said they will reject any peace plan the Trumpadministration presents.

Pence told the parliament that Israel “can be confident” that the U.S willnever compromise Israel’s security.

Vice President Mike Pence says the United States will open its embassy inJerusalem next year, ahead of schedule.

In an address to the Israeli parliament on Monday, Pence defended thecontroversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, whichhas been condemned by the Palestinians and their Arab allies.

Pence says the administration will advance its plan in the coming weeks andthe embassy will open by the end of 2019. Previous estimates had been themove would take three or four years.

The Palestinians claim Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital.They say the U.S. cannot be a mediator after the decision and havepre-emptively rejected any peace plan presented by the Trump administration.

Arab lawmakers in Israel’s parliament have been tossed out from the housefor heckling Vice President Mike Pence at the start of his speech.

The main Arab party in the Israeli parliament warned ahead of time it wouldboycott Pence on Monday.

The Knesset, which is accustomed to such high-profile visits, had added anew layer of security, and besides the speaker and other dignitaries,lawmakers did not have direct access to Pence.

Ayman Odeh, leader of the Joint Arab List, said it was the party’sdemocratic right to boycott the speech by the U.S. vice president. In atweet, he said the party will not provide a “silent backdrop” to a man hecalled a “dangerous racist.”

Netanyahu called the boycott a disgrace. He and other gave Pence a standingovation. – Agencies