Speaking on the occasion of the Jewish New Year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argued against waiting “until the last minute” to attack Iran and start a major regional war, arguing that they can’t count on the US to start the war themselves.

“What if the US doesn’t act?” Netanyahu said, saying that he has been pressing the US for a commitment on when they would start such a war but that they have been reluctant to do so.

Netanyahu also rejected accusations he was “meddling” in the elections in the United States, saying that since Iran’s civilian uranium program hadn’t stopped his pressure on the US couldn’t stop just because of election season.

Netanyahu and President Obama are in the midst of a dispute surrounding both the question of Iran and Obama’s refusal to meet with him during his upcoming visit to the US. Obama is scheduled to do an interview with David Letterman instead.