Israeli minister slams open talk on Iran war
Press TV – November 2, 2011
Israeli Minister-without-Portfolio Benny Begin has criticized officials in Tel Aviv over their overt discussions regarding a possible military strike against Iran.
“There has never been a breakdown of responsibility and a campaign of recklessness like there is today,” The Jerusalem Post quoted Begin as saying on Wednesday.
The Israeli minister was making reference to the recent media hype in Israel over the efforts by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to muster a majority in the cabinet to launch a military attack on Iran.
Despite previous opposition of Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to a possible war with Iran, Netanyahu and Barak have recently persuaded him to throw his weight behind the move.
However, there is a “small advantage” in the eight-member Inner Cabinet of senior Israeli ministers for the opponents of such an attack, Haaretz quoted a senior Israeli official as saying on Wednesday.
Begin’s remarks come as four other Israeli ministers, including Israeli Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz, Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya’alon, Interior Minister Eli Yishai as well as Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Dan Meridor reportedly remain firmly opposed to an action against Iran.
The four ministers, who are still opposed to an anti-Iran attack, believe that Israel should proceed with efforts to encourage the West to exert more economic and political pressure on Iran.
They emphasize that any action against Iran should be carried out in full coordination with the United States.
Despite media hype over a possible Israeli attack on Iran, a member of the forum of eight senior ministers has recently claimed that talks are still underway but no decision had been taken yet.
Senior ministers and diplomats claimed that a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), due to be released on November 8, will have a “decisive effect” on the decisions Israel makes.
The United States and Israel have repeatedly threatened Tehran with the “option” of a military strike, based on the allegation that Iran’s nuclear work may consist of a covert military agenda.
Iran argues that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the IAEA it has the right to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found evidence indicating that the country’s civilian nuclear program has diverted towards a military program.
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