The Iranian Threat: Support Growing In Israel Against Iran Strike
Jerusalem, Israel – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was dealt a series of setbacks today in his desire to keep the pressure on Iran to stop them from developing a nuclear weapon. Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed that Iran has to believe that there is credible threat of military action in order to be convinced to halt their drive towards nuclear weapons. This week that policy took a serious hit.
Yuval Diskin, the former head of Israel’s Shin Bet Security service, today sharply criticized the current Israeli government accusing them of lying to the public about the effectiveness of a strike on Iran. He further went on to insult the Prime Minister and his Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak by saying they hold “messianic tendencies”.
Add Diskin to former Mossad (Israel’s elite intelligence service) head Meir Dagan who has been saying for months that a strike on Iran would be extremely foolish.
Today former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Omert, who allegedly ordered an attack on a Syrian nuclear reactor during his time running the country, criticized Netanyahu also for his statements on Iran.
The Israeli intelligence world does not believe that the growing chorus of former army and intelligence heads really believe that Israel does not have the power to strike Iran. What it does seem like is that there is a growing movement to seek early elections and that these people all are looking to make their way into the Israeli Parliament by aligning with the Left Wing parties.
Israeli Intelligence site Debka cites sources within the government that there is an additional growing fear that these left wing groups may be serving interests that reside outside of Israel. Israeli leftist groups and politicians often raise funds from European governments. These governments often have agendas that are considered anti-Israel in a lot of circles.
The fear is that with the 6 party talks happening between Iran, Europe and the US that there is a mountain of pressure on Israel right now to not stand in the way of what looks like a diplomatic breakthrough.
Netanyahu’s government is well aware that there is not going to be a breakthrough and is fearful that there has already been a decision in European and American circles to accept a nuclear Iran and work on containment as opposed to deterrence.
The question right now is not whether the talks will serve as an excuse for Iran to expedite bomb development, but whether the delay in pressure on Iran will cause Israel to feel it has other choice but to strike?
The Iranian Threat is a weekly column by Inquistr writer H. Scott English examining the nuclear standoff between The United States and Iran. The column focuses on in-depth intelligence analysis and sources throughout the world.
