JERUSALEM, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for immediate and crippling sanctions against Iran on Tuesday, on the day it began making higher-grade nuclear fuel.

"Iran is rushing forward to produce nuclear weapons...I believe that what is required right now is tough action by the international community," Netanyahu told European diplomats. "This means crippling sanctions and these sanctions must be applied right now." (Reporting by Douglas Hamilton, Writing by Jeffrey Heller, Editing by Ori Lewis) (For blogs and links on Israeli politics and other Israeli and Palestinian news, go to http://blogs.reuters.com/axismundi)

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