Israel official: Military action against Iran still possible

[webfact]

Israel official: Military action against Iran still possible
By ALON BERNSTEIN

JERUSALEM (AP) — A senior Israeli government minister on Monday warned that taking military action against Iran's nuclear program is still an option — despite last week's framework deal between world powers and the Islamic Republic.

The comments by Yuval Steinitz, Israel's minister for strategic affairs, reflected the alarm in Israel over last week's deal, which offers Iran relief from economic sanctions in exchange for scaling back its suspect nuclear program. Israeli leaders believe the framework leaves too much of Iran's nuclear infrastructure intact and could still allow it to develop the means to produce a nuclear weapon.

Steinitz, a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's, said the government would spend the coming months lobbying the world powers negotiating with Iran to strengthen the language in the deal as they hammer out a final agreement. While stressing that Israel prefers a diplomatic solution, he said the "military option" still exists.

"It was on the table. It's still on the table. It's going to remain on the table," Steinitz told reporters. "Israel should be able to defend itself, by itself, against any threat. And it's our right and duty to decide how to defend ourselves, especially if our national security and even very existence is under threat."

Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran to be a threat to its survival, pointing to years of Iranian calls for Israel's destruction, its support for anti-Israeli militant groups and its development of long-range ballistic missiles that could be armed with nuclear warheads. Israel — which is widely believed to be a nuclear power — says a nuclear-armed Iran would set off an arms race in the world's most volatile region.

The framework agreement was announced last Thursday in Switzerland after years of negotiations between Iran and world powers.

The deal aims to cut significantly into Iran's bomb-making technology while giving Tehran relief from international sanctions. The commitments, if implemented, would substantially pare down Iranian nuclear assets for a decade and restrict others for an additional five years. Iran would also be subject to intrusive international inspections.

Netanyahu believes the deal leaves intact too much of Iran's suspect nuclear program, including research facilities and advanced centrifuges capable of enriching uranium, a key ingredient in a bomb. He also says the deal fails to address Iran's support for militant groups across the Middle East.

Since the deal was announced, Washington has tried to calm Israeli nerves and on Monday, White House official Ben Rhoads gave a pair of televised interviews promising continued U.S. support for Israeli security.

Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser, told Channel 2 TV that sanctions will be "snapped back into place if the Iranians don't comply."

"There are significant limitations on the nuclear program and with inspections if they break the deal we will know very quickly and then we will be able to make decisions about what to do," he said.

When asked if a military strike was still an option during the implementation stage of the agreement, Rhodes said: "We believe its best frankly if we don't have to exercise that option and Iran complies with this type of good comprehensive deal, but certainly if there was a violation we would have all options to consider in response to a violation."

Steinitz said Monday that Israel has drawn up a list of 10 issues Israel wants addressed in the final agreement.

The list includes a halt to "research and development" with advanced centrifuges, a reduction in the number of earlier-generation centrifuges that will be allowed to operate, and the complete closure of the underground Fordo nuclear research site.

Under the outlines in Switzerland, Iran has agreed to halt enrichment activities there but the site will be allowed to continue research, and some centrifuges will remain.

Israel also wants Iran "to come clean" about its past efforts on developing nuclear weapons, stronger assurances on how its stockpile of enriched uranium will be removed, and wants clarity on when sanctions on Iran will be lifted and how quickly they could be re-imposed.

Steinitz said Israel will lobby the world powers — the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany — to amend the final version of the deal ahead of a June 30 deadline. He said Israel still hopes the final deal can be improved.

"It might become a much better deal and a more comprehensive and trusted deal than it is today. This is a bad deal," Steinitz said.

Netanyahu has warned of the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran for years, but after the Switzerland announcement, it remains unclear how much of an impact he could have on the final negotiations.

Reminding the world of the military option is one way to gain some leverage — many in Israel believe that Israeli threats to strike Iran's nuclear installations several years ago helped trigger international sanctions and the dialogue that led to last Thursday's framework deal.

Questions also remain on Israel's military option. A long-range aerial mission would be dangerous and could trigger retaliation from Iran or its various proxies across the region. It also remains unclear how much damage it could inflict on a program that is spread out and in some cases, hidden underground.

President Barack Obama has said any military attack would only set back Iran by a few years.

Ronen Bergman, an Israeli military-affairs commentator, said Israel would have to produce clear intelligence showing that Iran has resumed a military nuclear program before striking.

"If Israel decides to attack — that evidence will be what will probably save it from international isolation," Bergman wrote in the Yediot Ahronot daily.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-04-07

[hard124get]

Israelis are fine killing defenseless civilians, they ran from Hezbollah, and would not dare face the Russians, who would surely back Iran.

[Ulysses G.]

Hogwash. Israel won numerous wars against 5 Arab armies. They will do what they need to do to survive.

[does]

Netanyahu has been warning since 1992 that Iran will have the bomb "any moment now".

Imagine Iran had a bomb and nuked Israel. Would you care to explain the subsequent scenario?

I am all for the security and safely of Israel/Jews, but Israeli leaders/majority of voters have lost their way after Rabin. It doesn't know the difference between tactics and strategy. It can't be reasoned with in logical terms. Their problems have to discussed in psychological terms.

Hogwash. Israel won numerous wars against 5 Arab armies. They will do what they need to do to survive.

[Seastallion]

"Israel will lobby the world powers — the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany — to amend the final version of the deal ahead of a June 30 deadline."

Those world powers need only make one response to Israel; "If you want to play in international politics, if you want a say in matters of nuclear arms and power, then first of all, sign all the treaties yourself, second of all, start respecting international laws and conventions."

[Seastallion]

"Reminding the world of the military option is one way to gain some leverage "

Threats of violence to get their way. This spoiled, obstreperous brat child of a nation needs a good spanking and to be told to go and sit in the corner.

[geriatrickid]

Israel should ask Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Jordan to deal with the issue as Iran poses as much of a threat to those countries as it does to Israel.

[Seastallion]

"Ronen Bergman, an Israeli military-affairs commentator, said Israel would have to produce clear intelligence showing that Iran has resumed a military nuclear program before striking."

Yeah right....just like their WOMD assertions re Iraq.

[dexterm]

Hogwash. Israel won numerous wars against 5 Arab armies. They will do what they need to do to survive.

Israel has started every single war it has been engaged in bar 1973, and dragged allies into others on its behalf. It’s in danger of doing the same again now with Iran. I hope the world has woken up to Israeli shenanigans this time.

[Seastallion]

"Netanyahu has warned of the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran for years"

Should read, "Netanyahu has cried wolf for years."...or perhaps more accurately, "...lied through his teeth for years"

[Linky]

Israel is threatening a sovereign nation. Israel should immediately have sanctions placed against it until it allows nuclear inspections and abides by UN resolutions.

[Seastallion]

Israel is threatening a sovereign nation. Israel should immediately have sanctions placed against it until it allows nuclear inspections and abides by UN resolutions.

Absolutely.

Israel is blatantly threatening a sovereign nation and Israel's actual real intelligence is that Iran is not close to developing the bomb.

The sooner this aggressive rogue nation is reeled in and hobbled with sanctions, the better.

And their nuclear weapons need to be confiscated until they learn to abide by international treaties, including the Geneva Convention and the non-proliferation treaties.

[Ulysses G.]

Hogwash. Israel won numerous wars against 5 Arab armies. They will do what they need to do to survive.

Israel has started every single war it has been engaged in bar 1973

This is a lie and you have been informed repeatedly. Why do you insist of posting obvious falsehoods? There are other websites to discuss silly conspiracy theories.

Starting with the first Israeli war:

Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, United States Department of State

The Arab-Israeli War of 1948 broke out when five Arab nations invaded territory in the former Palestinian mandate immediately following the announcement of the independence of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948.

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/arab-israeli-war

Edited April 7, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[Jai Dee]

One racist post and subsequent replies have been removed from this thread.

[geriatrickid]

Hogwash. Israel won numerous wars against 5 Arab armies. They will do what they need to do to survive.

Israel has started every single war it has been engaged in bar 1973, and dragged allies into others on its behalf. It’s in danger of doing the same again now with Iran. I hope the world has woken up to Israeli shenanigans this time.

Really? 1947. Israel was attacked. In 1956, you forget that the UK and France wanted their Suez Canal back and they used Israel, calling in their IOUs. At the time, Israel was under constant attack by Fedayen operating from secure bases in the Sinai and Gaza and was glad for an opportunity to take on the Fedayen.. The USA was not much of an Israeli ally and in fact backed Egypt. It was Eisenhower who threatened the UK.

1967 was a pre-emptive strike against the armies of Jordan, Egypt and Syria who were massed for attack, In case you forget, Syria and Egypt had formed a union and they key goal was the destruction of Israel. 1967-1970 War of attrition was started by Egypt. First invasion of Lebanon was in response to the defacto Palestinian arab state that was installed in Southern Lebanon and who was attacking Israel on an almost daily basis. 982 Lebanon war was a continuation of the first invasion sparked by the Abu Nidal attempted assassination of the Israeli UN Ambassador. Abu Nidal bases were in the South of Lebanon. Lebanon had been in a state of war with Israel since 1947 when it first attacked Israel. That state of war continues today. All subsequent Israeli military actions have been in response to prolonged direct attacks on Israel.

Nothing that you can refute in the above. However, times have changed. I continue with my view that multiple arab countries have a bigger issue with Iran than does Israel. It just so happens that their interests now coincide with Israel. As such, it is up to these arab countries to show their leadership and to come out in the open and state their concerns. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have the ability to take on Iran, provided Egypt provides its land armies. Peace will come from war, and the day Egypt says to Israel, let us move 500,000 troops and air support across Israel to Jordan and the Gulf, and Israel says yes, is the day trust will be built. Stranger things have happened in Israel's history. Egypt was once a leader in the arab world, only to be pushed aside by the brutal colonial Turkish Ottoman Empire and then the British colonial Empire. Egypt will rise again and it will do so by championing the Sunni branch of Islam against the Shia state, Iran.

Edited April 7, 2015 by geriatrickid

[geriatrickid]

Israel is threatening a sovereign nation. Israel should immediately have sanctions placed against it until it allows nuclear inspections and abides by UN resolutions.

Will the UN inspectors be as effective as they were in Iran?

BTW Israel's position was in response to Iran's threat to wipe the country out.

[dexterm]

OP,

Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran to be a threat to its survival, pointing to years of Iranian calls for Israel's destruction

Iran has never called for Israel's destruction. That is a myth perpetrated by a deliberate Israeli mistranslation for propaganda purposes.

Iran has frequently called for regime change in Israel, an end to the Zionist racial supremacist ideology.

"Ahmadinejad never said them. Farsi speakers have pointed out that he was mistranslated. The Iranian president was quoting an ancient statement by Iran's first Islamist leader, the late Ayatollah Khomeini, that "this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time" just as the Shah's regime in Iran had vanished."

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/jun/02/comment.usa

Even Dan Meridor the Israeli Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy told Al Jazeera that Iran never vowed to "wipe Israel off the map," as Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly claimed.

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2012/04/2012413151613293582.html

[geriatrickid]

"Reminding the world of the military option is one way to gain some leverage "

Threats of violence to get their way. This spoiled, obstreperous brat child of a nation needs a good spanking and to be told to go and sit in the corner.

Will that be after you get off your duff to protest the massacre in the Palestinian township outside Damascus being played out by ISIS, Hamas, Fatah, and Syria?

[Ulysses G.]

OP,

Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran to be a threat to its survival, pointing to years of Iranian calls for Israel's destruction

Iran has never called for Israel's destruction. That is a myth perpetrated by a deliberate Israeli mistranslation for propaganda purposes.

Iran has frequently called for regime change in Israel, an end to the Zionist racial supremacist ideology.

"Ahmadinejad never said them. Farsi speakers have pointed out that he was mistranslated. The Iranian president was quoting an ancient statement by Iran's first Islamist leader, the late Ayatollah Khomeini, that "this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time" just as the Shah's regime in Iran had vanished."

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/jun/02/comment.usa

Even Dan Meridor the Israeli Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy told Al Jazeera that Iran never vowed to "wipe Israel off the map," as Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly claimed.

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2012/04/2012413151613293582.html

Another blatant lie. Dan Meridor said former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was misquoted and that is his personal opinion, however, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Supreme Leader of Iran - the REAL boss - has called for the destruction of Israel numerous times.

In a Friday sermon on Dec. 15, 2000, Khamenei declared, “Iran’s position, which was first expressed by the Imam [Khomeini]…is that the cancerous tumor called Israel must be uprooted from the region.” A month later, he repeated his message. “The foundation of the Islamic regime is opposition to Israel and the perpetual subject of Iran is the elimination of Israel from the region.” More recently, on Nov. 20, 2013, Khamenei told an assembly of some 50,000 Basij militiamen that Israel was ready to fall. “The Zionist regime is a regime whose pillars are extremely shaky and is doomed to collapse,” he said. Israelis, he added, “should not be called humans.” - See more at: http://jcpa.org/article/20-threats-iranian-leaders-made-in-2013/#sthash.EI26LSNG.dpuf

[Jai Dee]

There are a number of off-topic posts derailing this thread.

Members are reminded that the subject in discussion is Iran.

[dexterm]

OP,

Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran to be a threat to its survival, pointing to years of Iranian calls for Israel's destruction

Iran has never called for Israel's destruction. That is a myth perpetrated by a deliberate Israeli mistranslation for propaganda purposes.

Iran has frequently called for regime change in Israel, an end to the Zionist racial supremacist ideology.

"Ahmadinejad never said them. Farsi speakers have pointed out that he was mistranslated. The Iranian president was quoting an ancient statement by Iran's first Islamist leader, the late Ayatollah Khomeini, that "this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time" just as the Shah's regime in Iran had vanished."

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/jun/02/comment.usa

Even Dan Meridor the Israeli Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy told Al Jazeera that Iran never vowed to "wipe Israel off the map," as Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly claimed.

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2012/04/2012413151613293582.html

Another blatant lie. Dan Meridor said former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was misquoted and that is his personal opinion, however, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Supreme Leader of Iran - the REAL boss - has called for the destruction of Israel numerous times.

In a Friday sermon on Dec. 15, 2000, Khamenei declared, “Iran’s position, which was first expressed by the Imam [Khomeini]…is that the cancerous tumor called Israel must be uprooted from the region.” A month later, he repeated his message. “The foundation of the Islamic regime is opposition to Israel and the perpetual subject of Iran is the elimination of Israel from the region.” More recently, on Nov. 20, 2013, Khamenei told an assembly of some 50,000 Basij militiamen that Israel was ready to fall. “The Zionist regime is a regime whose pillars are extremely shaky and is doomed to collapse,” he said. Israelis, he added, “should not be called humans.” - See more at: http://jcpa.org/article/20-threats-iranian-leaders-made-in-2013/#sthash.EI26LSNG.dpuf

Precisely what I said and I agree. The present regime in Israel will implode and collapse because it is built on unjust racist/religionist ground.

Iran doesn't need to build nukes.

Edited April 7, 2015 by dexterm

[chuckd]

Israel is threatening a sovereign nation. Israel should immediately have sanctions placed against it until it allows nuclear inspections and abides by UN resolutions.

Absolutely.

Israel is blatantly threatening a sovereign nation and Israel's actual real intelligence is that Iran is not close to developing the bomb.

The sooner this aggressive rogue nation is reeled in and hobbled with sanctions, the better.

And their nuclear weapons need to be confiscated until they learn to abide by international treaties, including the Geneva Convention and the non-proliferation treaties.

Who do your propose go to Israel and attempt to confiscate their nukes?

Australia? Sweden? The UN? Russia? France? China?

Or would you prefer a full blown Islamic invasion of Israel to rid the world of this incestuous Jewish nation to rid the Middle East of its only Democracy?

We could always wait a year or two and let Iran nuke them for you.

Edited April 7, 2015 by chuckd

[NeverSure]

The present regime in Israel will implode and collapse because it is built on unjust racist/religionist ground.

So. Iran is a "just" racist/religious state with its high religious leaders supporting terrorists in the region?

[dexterm]

The present regime in Israel will implode and collapse because it is built on unjust racist/religionist ground.

So. Iran is a "just" racist/religious state with its high religious leaders supporting terrorists in the region?

Deflection. I didn't say that.

I would like both Israel and Iran to be secular democracies, with human rights for all their people, and they will be one day.

[Seastallion]

Israel is threatening a sovereign nation. Israel should immediately have sanctions placed against it until it allows nuclear inspections and abides by UN resolutions.

Absolutely.

Israel is blatantly threatening a sovereign nation and Israel's actual real intelligence is that Iran is not close to developing the bomb.

The sooner this aggressive rogue nation is reeled in and hobbled with sanctions, the better.

And their nuclear weapons need to be confiscated until they learn to abide by international treaties, including the Geneva Convention and the non-proliferation treaties.

Who do your propose go to Israel and attempt to confiscate their nukes?

Australia? Sweden? The UN? Russia? France? China?

Or would you prefer a full blown Islamic invasion of Israel to rid the world of this incestuous Jewish nation to rid the Middle East of its only Democracy?

We could always wait a year or two and let Iran nuke them for you.

Who do I propose? I propose the entire law-abiding international community.

See, when it comes to Iran merely seeming to make threats, sanctions were imposed. Crippling sanctions that have brought them to their knees. So what about when Israel, already nuclear armed, blatantly makes threats? Surely severe, crippling sanctions should be imposed and IAEA inspectors sent in? Surely their arsenal should be a thing that is required to be reduced and limited, if not altogether dismantled.

If the boys can't play in the sandpit nicely, then take the toys away from both of them, don't play favourites.

If Israel wants a say on Iranian nuclear matters, then they need to toe the line themselves. Any reasonable person would see that.

Your nasty implication "..let Iran nuke them for you." is typical of your snide yet very feeble baiting. Feeble.

[dexterm]

Israeli hypocrisy and pecksniffian chutzpah is amazing, when they threaten to attack a sovereign nation Iran over its peaceful nuclear program, when Israel itself has over 400 nuclear weapons, some of them pointed at Europe even.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_Option#Writers.27_comments_on_the_strategy

[arjunadawn]

Really? 1947. Israel was attacked. In 1956, you forget that the UK and France wanted their Suez Canal back and they used Israel, calling in their IOUs. At the time, Israel was under constant attack by Fedayen operating from secure bases in the Sinai and Gaza and was glad for an opportunity to take on the Fedayen.. The USA was not much of an Israeli ally and in fact backed Egypt. It was Eisenhower who threatened the UK.

1967 was a pre-emptive strike against the armies of Jordan, Egypt and Syria who were massed for attack, In case you forget, Syria and Egypt had formed a union and they key goal was the destruction of Israel. 1967-1970 War of attrition was started by Egypt. First invasion of Lebanon was in response to the defacto Palestinian arab state that was installed in Southern Lebanon and who was attacking Israel on an almost daily basis. 982 Lebanon war was a continuation of the first invasion sparked by the Abu Nidal attempted assassination of the Israeli UN Ambassador. Abu Nidal bases were in the South of Lebanon. Lebanon had been in a state of war with Israel since 1947 when it first attacked Israel. That state of war continues today. All subsequent Israeli military actions have been in response to prolonged direct attacks on Israel.

Nothing that you can refute in the above. However, times have changed. I continue with my view that multiple arab countries have a bigger issue with Iran than does Israel. It just so happens that their interests now coincide with Israel. As such, it is up to these arab countries to show their leadership and to come out in the open and state their concerns. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have the ability to take on Iran, provided Egypt provides its land armies. Peace will come from war, and the day Egypt says to Israel, let us move 500,000 troops and air support across Israel to Jordan and the Gulf, and Israel says yes, is the day trust will be built. Stranger things have happened in Israel's history. Egypt was once a leader in the arab world, only to be pushed aside by the brutal colonial Turkish Ottoman Empire and then the British colonial Empire. Egypt will rise again and it will do so by championing the Sunni branch of Islam against the Shia state, Iran.

Thank you for a brilliant analysis. Just a dash of opinion held together all these unassailable facts- nice!

[FangFerang]

I taught with an Iranian in Bangkok--a huge man. He told me that Iranians don't hate Americans, they hate the American government. His best friend, an Israeli, laughed and said he thought most Americans hated their government too.

[chuckd]

"See, when it comes to Iran merely seeming to make threats, sanctions were imposed."

The first Iranian sanctions were put in place by the US in 1979 when Iran took over the US Embassy in Tehran and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.

I would call this action more than "seeming to make threats".

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Then there is this comment:

" So what about when Israel, already nuclear armed, blatantly makes threats?"

Israel says the military option is on the table but in my various ramblings around the news sources, I have failed to pick up any references where they have threatened nuclear action against anybody...including Iran.

If they are making blatant threats, I must have simply missed them. Retaliatory threats perhaps?

But then, I seldom read RT and haven't read the Kayhan since being kicked out of Iran in 1979.

[kblaze]

Israel is threatening a sovereign nation. Israel should immediately have sanctions placed against it until it allows nuclear inspections and abides by UN resolutions.

Will the UN inspectors be as effective as they were in Iran?

BTW Israel's position was in response to Iran's threat to wipe the country out.

Any perceived threat issued by any Iranian to "wipe out" Israel should elicit the same reaction as North Korea's incessant declarations (not threats) that the US will be swallowed in a sea of fire. Laughed off. Any rational person knows that Iran knows that the moment it touches a button to launch a nuke, it will be swallowed in a sea of fire.

And mind you, North Korea already has nukes.