The Republican's unconditional support for Israel is undoubtedly gratifying for many Jewish voters, but in the long run, it could do more harm than good.
The race for the Republican presidential nomination will formally be launched in Iowa in three weeks. But from an Israeli point of view, it can already be described as a watershed event. Israel has never been so prominent in any presidential race. It never served as such a "wedge issue." And it never received such sweeping and unequivocal support - especially for its right flank.
The statement made by the current front-runner, Newt Gingrich, about the Palestinians being "an invented nation" is only the most recent in a string of policy statements that, in Israeli terms, would position the Republican candidates - with the exception of Ron Paul - somewhere in the Knesset's radical right, between the Likud's Danny Danon and National Union's Aryeh Eldad. Michele Bachmann says Israel shouldn't give back one more inch of territory; Rick Perry says Israel can build settlements to its heart's content; Rick Santorum has already annexed the West Bank to Israel proper; Jon Huntsman claims that Israel is the only American interest in the Middle East; and Mitt Romney thinks the United States should keep its mouth shut on the peace process and surrender the floor to his good friend "Bibi" Netanyahu. Oh, and they all promise to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem, at once.
The Republicans believe that dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama's attitude toward Israel creates a golden opportunity for them to make significant inroads into American Jews' traditional financial and electoral support for the Democrats. But their main target is the evangelical Christians, whose votes may decide numerous primary contests. The evangelicals' absolute support for Israel derives from a deep religious belief in an inevitable confrontation between Good and Evil - and the Republicans have adopted a similar approach.
This unconditional support is undoubtedly gratifying for many Jewish voters, but in the long run, it could do more harm than good. Ordinary Americans are bound to wonder about the sway this distant country holds over American politics and about the motives of the Jews that support it. The unusually prominent place given to Israel - often at the expense of pressing domestic issues such as education, crime and poverty, as well as significant foreign policy issues such as Russia, China, the Eurozone crisis and the Arab Spring - is, one must admit, often surreal.
In their effort to portray themselves as the only party that looks after Israel's interests, Republicans are also eroding a long tradition of bipartisanship, and their campaign slogans may turn into self-fulfilling propaganda. Polarized presidential politics are bound to seep into Congress and may diminish Israel's ability to enlist consensual support in its time of need. Voters who oppose the Republican Party may come to accept that this also includes opposing the party's support for Israel.
Finally, one cannot ignore the possibility that derogatory anti-Palestinian statements, of which Gingrich provided a good example, could inflame an already stormy Arab world and, by extension, strengthen Iran's regional standing. But of course, this won't upset those who are waiting with bated breath for the war between Gog and Magog and the Apocalypse. It's only a problem for those who still cling to the anachronistic concept that managing a country's foreign relations requires wisdom, prudence and good judgment.
Dec 16, 2011
Israel has never been so ugly
Netanyahu's weak leadership and moral laxity are what unleashed this frenzy. The fact that he has not put a stop to the dark forces that have always oozed from our depths is what brought us to this situation, but it is not yet too late.
We have never been so ugly. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayhu seeks to silence the call to prayer over the loudspeakers of the country's mosques, and to shut down Channel 10 television. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman expresses support for the Russian "democtator" who has just rigged elections. Defense Minister Ehud Barak stands by while Jewish settlers victimize Palestinians and ultra-Orthodox religious nationalists victimize female soldiers.
Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman is trying to turn the Supreme Court into other one of his subsidiaries. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein is working to prevent the media from reporting on investigations against public figures. Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman excludes women from participation in an official award ceremony.
Coalition chairman Zeev Elkin undermines and neuters civil society. Religious fanatics exclude women, tyrannize secular citizens and spit at priests. Jewish terrorists burn Muslim houses of worship, invade Israel Defense Force bases and attack soldiers.
We see what we would never believe with our own eyes. Darkness at noon, a dark Israel snuffing out an enlightened Israel. There have been dark moments in the past. The 1956 killing of Israeli Arabs at Kafr Qasem, the 1982 massacres by Israeli allies in Lebanon at Sabra and Chatila, the 1994 Hebron massacre by Baruch Goldstein. There have also been prior attempts at silencing the press, publications such as Kol Ha'am, Haolam Hazeh and Hadashot.
There have been assaults on the judicial system. Former Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann, and Daniel Friedmann and Daniel Friedmann. Time after time there have been assaults by the secular right and the religious right on the principles of liberalism and on liberal institutions, but there has never been an all-out, multi-pronged and multi-dimensional attack on the core values of the Jewish democratic state.
There has never been such a comprehensive attempt to remake the face of Israel and to replace it with something else. Under Netanyahu and Lieberman's leadership, Israel been turned into a country with the values of Newt Gingrich and the look of Vladimir Putin. What's happening here? And why now exactly? Why are anti-democratic forces at work now to run roughshod over human rights and human dignity and freedom? Why are the Jewish nationalists and ultra-Orthodox fanatics, along with Russian statism, bursting forth now all at the same time?
The answer is Netanyahu. In the past he was conservative, cautious and democratic. With American Jewish leader Ron Lauder at his side and popular historian Paul Johnson in his hand, Netanyahu sought to turn Israel into a strong free-market country sharing the values of Republican America.
As a result, the first time around as prime minister he governed like a democrat and lost like a democrat. And when the left wing tripped him up and got him out of office, he was subdued and a gentleman about it. Just as the Republican Party has changed over the past decade, so too has Netanyahu. The follower of Ronald Reagan has become a Tea Partier. With Sheldon Adelson at his side and Avigdor Lieberman tying his hands, the second iteration of Netanyahu is an aggressive ruler.
He is not guided by the rules of the game, but by the desire to gain a position of strength. It is not protecting democracy that is uppermost in his mind but retaining power. He is therefore not interested or capable of demonstrating moral leadership. Netanyahu is letting his Rottweilers devour liberal democracy while he himself stands by watching. He is not fulfilling his role as the guardian of the Israeli Declaration of Independence.
Netanyahu's weak leadership and moral laxity are what unleashed this frenzy. The fact that he has not put a stop to the dark forces that have always oozed from our depths is what brought us to this situation, but it is not yet too late. Netanyahu can put a stop to this insanity in an instant. All he has to do is halt the totalitarian legislation and to deliver one major address extolling enlightened democracy and human rights.
He must make it clear that violence will not be tolerated, that women are equal. Arabs are equal and every human being is created in God's image. If the super-leader of the right wing would order the lunatic fringe on the right to stop, they would. If the leader of the State of Israel would say that liberty and equality and law and freedom of expression are the beating heart of the state, so it would be.
Not a single party would quit the government coalition. Not a single minister would quit the cabinet. But the young people who are called upon to defend this place would know what they are protecting. And the older generation who built this place would know what they built. The face in the mirror would again be our face.
We have never been so ugly. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayhu seeks to silence the call to prayer over the loudspeakers of the country's mosques, and to shut down Channel 10 television. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman expresses support for the Russian "democtator" who has just rigged elections. Defense Minister Ehud Barak stands by while Jewish settlers victimize Palestinians and ultra-Orthodox religious nationalists victimize female soldiers.
Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman is trying to turn the Supreme Court into other one of his subsidiaries. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein is working to prevent the media from reporting on investigations against public figures. Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman excludes women from participation in an official award ceremony.
Coalition chairman Zeev Elkin undermines and neuters civil society. Religious fanatics exclude women, tyrannize secular citizens and spit at priests. Jewish terrorists burn Muslim houses of worship, invade Israel Defense Force bases and attack soldiers.
We see what we would never believe with our own eyes. Darkness at noon, a dark Israel snuffing out an enlightened Israel. There have been dark moments in the past. The 1956 killing of Israeli Arabs at Kafr Qasem, the 1982 massacres by Israeli allies in Lebanon at Sabra and Chatila, the 1994 Hebron massacre by Baruch Goldstein. There have also been prior attempts at silencing the press, publications such as Kol Ha'am, Haolam Hazeh and Hadashot.
There have been assaults on the judicial system. Former Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann, and Daniel Friedmann and Daniel Friedmann. Time after time there have been assaults by the secular right and the religious right on the principles of liberalism and on liberal institutions, but there has never been an all-out, multi-pronged and multi-dimensional attack on the core values of the Jewish democratic state.
There has never been such a comprehensive attempt to remake the face of Israel and to replace it with something else. Under Netanyahu and Lieberman's leadership, Israel been turned into a country with the values of Newt Gingrich and the look of Vladimir Putin. What's happening here? And why now exactly? Why are anti-democratic forces at work now to run roughshod over human rights and human dignity and freedom? Why are the Jewish nationalists and ultra-Orthodox fanatics, along with Russian statism, bursting forth now all at the same time?
The answer is Netanyahu. In the past he was conservative, cautious and democratic. With American Jewish leader Ron Lauder at his side and popular historian Paul Johnson in his hand, Netanyahu sought to turn Israel into a strong free-market country sharing the values of Republican America.
As a result, the first time around as prime minister he governed like a democrat and lost like a democrat. And when the left wing tripped him up and got him out of office, he was subdued and a gentleman about it. Just as the Republican Party has changed over the past decade, so too has Netanyahu. The follower of Ronald Reagan has become a Tea Partier. With Sheldon Adelson at his side and Avigdor Lieberman tying his hands, the second iteration of Netanyahu is an aggressive ruler.
He is not guided by the rules of the game, but by the desire to gain a position of strength. It is not protecting democracy that is uppermost in his mind but retaining power. He is therefore not interested or capable of demonstrating moral leadership. Netanyahu is letting his Rottweilers devour liberal democracy while he himself stands by watching. He is not fulfilling his role as the guardian of the Israeli Declaration of Independence.
Netanyahu's weak leadership and moral laxity are what unleashed this frenzy. The fact that he has not put a stop to the dark forces that have always oozed from our depths is what brought us to this situation, but it is not yet too late. Netanyahu can put a stop to this insanity in an instant. All he has to do is halt the totalitarian legislation and to deliver one major address extolling enlightened democracy and human rights.
He must make it clear that violence will not be tolerated, that women are equal. Arabs are equal and every human being is created in God's image. If the super-leader of the right wing would order the lunatic fringe on the right to stop, they would. If the leader of the State of Israel would say that liberty and equality and law and freedom of expression are the beating heart of the state, so it would be.
Not a single party would quit the government coalition. Not a single minister would quit the cabinet. But the young people who are called upon to defend this place would know what they are protecting. And the older generation who built this place would know what they built. The face in the mirror would again be our face.
Secret EU paper aims to tackle Israel's treatment of Arab minority
Paper states EU should consider Israel's treatment of its Arab population a 'core issue', and not second tier to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The European Union should consider Israel's treatment of its Arab population a "core issue, not second tier to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," according to a classified working paper produced by European embassies in Israel, parts of which were obtained by Haaretz.
This is an unprecedented document in that it deals with internal Israeli issues. According to European diplomats and senior Foreign Ministry officials, it was written and sent to EU headquarters in Brussels behind the back of the Israeli government.
Other issues the document deals with include the lack of progress in the peace process, the continued occupation of the territories, Israel's definition of itself as Jewish and democratic, and the influence of the Israeli Arab population.
The original document also included suggestions for action the EU should take, but these were removed from the final version at the insistence of several countries.
Among these were the suggestion that the EU file an official protest every time a bill discriminating against Arabs passes a second reading in the Knesset, and that the EU ensure that all Arab towns have completed urban plans, "with each member state potentially 'adopting' a municipality to this end."
The contents of the 27-page report were kept under wraps, and a number of European diplomats contacted by Haaretz over the past two weeks refused to disclose any details. Foreign Ministry officials said they had heard about it unofficially from some European diplomats a few weeks ago, but to date no Israeli official has been able to obtain a copy.
According to a European diplomat involved in drafting the report, work on it began more than a year ago at Britain's initiative. The idea was to write a report that could be debated by a forum of EU foreign ministers. At some point, however, several countries, among them the Czech Republic, Poland and the Netherlands, expressed objections to its contents.
After lengthy debates on the issue in an effort to obtain the consensus necessary to send the report to Brussels, it was decided to water it down somewhat and drop the operative conclusions. It was also designated a "food for thought" document, rather than a "report."
The embassies declared in the document that the breakdown in the peace process was having a negative impact on the integration of Israeli Arabs into society.
"The stalemate in the peace process, and the continuing occupation, inevitably has an impact on the identification of Israeli Arabs with Israel," the document states. "It will be more difficult for Israeli Arabs to be wholly at ease with their identity while the conflict with the Palestinians continues."
At the same time, the embassies said this should not be used as an excuse for "hostile behavior by Israeli Arabs which alienates the Jewish majority, or for failure by Israeli government to achieve genuinely equal treatment of Israeli Arabs."
The document suggests that the EU discuss Jewish-Arab relations with the Israeli government, while stressing the government's obligation to bridge the gaps between the Jewish majority and Arab minority.
"We should emphasize that addressing inequality within Israel is integral to Israel's long-term stability," the document says.
The document also relates to the demand made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
"We do not believe that recognition of Israel as a Jewish State should detract in any way from the vision of equality for all its citizens enshrined in its founding documents," the report says.
"It is in the interests of all Israelis to demonstrate that Israel is not only Jewish and democratic, but tolerant and inclusive, and that these are patriotic values. We believe in common with most Israelis that Israeli nationality is an inclusive concept which can accommodate equally those of other faiths and ethnic origins."
Other operative suggestions that were dropped from the final document included supporting projects promoting coexistence in schools, and encouraging European companies setting up high-tech operations in Israel to invest in Arab areas.
The European Union should consider Israel's treatment of its Arab population a "core issue, not second tier to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," according to a classified working paper produced by European embassies in Israel, parts of which were obtained by Haaretz.
This is an unprecedented document in that it deals with internal Israeli issues. According to European diplomats and senior Foreign Ministry officials, it was written and sent to EU headquarters in Brussels behind the back of the Israeli government.
Other issues the document deals with include the lack of progress in the peace process, the continued occupation of the territories, Israel's definition of itself as Jewish and democratic, and the influence of the Israeli Arab population.
The original document also included suggestions for action the EU should take, but these were removed from the final version at the insistence of several countries.
Among these were the suggestion that the EU file an official protest every time a bill discriminating against Arabs passes a second reading in the Knesset, and that the EU ensure that all Arab towns have completed urban plans, "with each member state potentially 'adopting' a municipality to this end."
The contents of the 27-page report were kept under wraps, and a number of European diplomats contacted by Haaretz over the past two weeks refused to disclose any details. Foreign Ministry officials said they had heard about it unofficially from some European diplomats a few weeks ago, but to date no Israeli official has been able to obtain a copy.
According to a European diplomat involved in drafting the report, work on it began more than a year ago at Britain's initiative. The idea was to write a report that could be debated by a forum of EU foreign ministers. At some point, however, several countries, among them the Czech Republic, Poland and the Netherlands, expressed objections to its contents.
After lengthy debates on the issue in an effort to obtain the consensus necessary to send the report to Brussels, it was decided to water it down somewhat and drop the operative conclusions. It was also designated a "food for thought" document, rather than a "report."
The embassies declared in the document that the breakdown in the peace process was having a negative impact on the integration of Israeli Arabs into society.
"The stalemate in the peace process, and the continuing occupation, inevitably has an impact on the identification of Israeli Arabs with Israel," the document states. "It will be more difficult for Israeli Arabs to be wholly at ease with their identity while the conflict with the Palestinians continues."
At the same time, the embassies said this should not be used as an excuse for "hostile behavior by Israeli Arabs which alienates the Jewish majority, or for failure by Israeli government to achieve genuinely equal treatment of Israeli Arabs."
The document suggests that the EU discuss Jewish-Arab relations with the Israeli government, while stressing the government's obligation to bridge the gaps between the Jewish majority and Arab minority.
"We should emphasize that addressing inequality within Israel is integral to Israel's long-term stability," the document says.
The document also relates to the demand made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
"We do not believe that recognition of Israel as a Jewish State should detract in any way from the vision of equality for all its citizens enshrined in its founding documents," the report says.
"It is in the interests of all Israelis to demonstrate that Israel is not only Jewish and democratic, but tolerant and inclusive, and that these are patriotic values. We believe in common with most Israelis that Israeli nationality is an inclusive concept which can accommodate equally those of other faiths and ethnic origins."
Other operative suggestions that were dropped from the final document included supporting projects promoting coexistence in schools, and encouraging European companies setting up high-tech operations in Israel to invest in Arab areas.
Nov 20, 2011
Report: Russia warships to enter Syria waters in bid to stem foreign intervention
Syrian official says Damascus agrees 'in principle' to allow entrance of Arab League observer mission; 22-member body proposed sending hundreds of observers to the to help end the bloodshed.
Russian warships are due to arrive at Syrian territorial waters, a Syrian news agency said on Thursday, indicating that the move represented a clear message to the West that Moscow would resist any foreign intervention in the country's civil unrest.
Also on Friday, a Syrian official said Damascus has agreed "in principle" to allow an Arab League observer mission into the country.
But the official said Friday that Syria was still studying the details. The official asked not to be named because the issue is so sensitive.
The Arab League suspended Syria earlier this week over its deadly crackdown on an eight-month-old uprising. The 22-member body has proposed sending hundreds of observers to the country to try to help end the bloodshed.
The report came a day after a draft resolution backed by Arab and European countries and the United States was submitted to the United Nations General Assembly, seeking to condemn human rights violations in the on-going violence in Syria.
Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia were among Arab states that joined Germany, Britain, and France to sponsor the draft submitted to the assembly's human rights committee. In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. would sign on as a co-sponsor of the resolution.
The draft demanded an end to violence, respect of human rights and implementation by Damascus of a plan of action of the Arab League.
The move comes as clashes escalated in Syria and after Russia and China used their veto in October to block a Security Council resolution that would have condemned the Syrian government of President Bashir for the violence.
Such a veto is not applicable in the 193-nation assembly, which will consider the issue after the human rights committee reports back to it.
The UN says more than 3,500 people have been killed since unrest erupted in spring against Assad.
Russian warships are due to arrive at Syrian territorial waters, a Syrian news agency said on Thursday, indicating that the move represented a clear message to the West that Moscow would resist any foreign intervention in the country's civil unrest.
Also on Friday, a Syrian official said Damascus has agreed "in principle" to allow an Arab League observer mission into the country.
But the official said Friday that Syria was still studying the details. The official asked not to be named because the issue is so sensitive.
The Arab League suspended Syria earlier this week over its deadly crackdown on an eight-month-old uprising. The 22-member body has proposed sending hundreds of observers to the country to try to help end the bloodshed.
The report came a day after a draft resolution backed by Arab and European countries and the United States was submitted to the United Nations General Assembly, seeking to condemn human rights violations in the on-going violence in Syria.
Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia were among Arab states that joined Germany, Britain, and France to sponsor the draft submitted to the assembly's human rights committee. In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. would sign on as a co-sponsor of the resolution.
The draft demanded an end to violence, respect of human rights and implementation by Damascus of a plan of action of the Arab League.
The move comes as clashes escalated in Syria and after Russia and China used their veto in October to block a Security Council resolution that would have condemned the Syrian government of President Bashir for the violence.
Such a veto is not applicable in the 193-nation assembly, which will consider the issue after the human rights committee reports back to it.
The UN says more than 3,500 people have been killed since unrest erupted in spring against Assad.
Israeli settlers attack shop of freed Palestinian prisoner in Hebron
Hani Jaber, who had been serving a life sentence for stabbing a Kiryat Arba yeshiva student, was one of hundreds of Palestinians released from Israeli jails in exchange for IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked a shop in the West Bank belonging to a Palestinian man freed as part of a prisoner swap deal last month, locals said Sunday.
The settlers threw objects and rocks at the shop in Hebron, according to Palestinian residents. Police intervened in clashes that broke out after the incident between Jewish settlers and Palestinian residents, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told DPA.
No one was reported injured in the clash that came as thousands of Jews arrived in Hebron to celebrate the Sabbath on Saturday. An Israeli woman and a Palestinian man were questioned but later released, Rosenfeld said.
The owner of the shop, Hani Jaber, had been serving life in an Israeli prison for stabbing to death a student from a Jewish religious seminary in the nearby Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba in 1993. A radical Jewish group has vowed revenge for his release and put up posters offering a price on his life.
Some Israeli Jews have condemned the prisoner exchange, under which Israel freed hundreds of jailed Palestinian militants in exchange for Gilad Shalit, the IDF soldier held captive in Gaza for over five years.
About 800 Jewish settlers, protected by a heavy Israeli military presence, live in Hebron's historic centre, among tens of thousands of Palestinians. The city was divided into Israeli- and Palestinian-controlled sectors under a 1997 agreement.
Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked a shop in the West Bank belonging to a Palestinian man freed as part of a prisoner swap deal last month, locals said Sunday.
The settlers threw objects and rocks at the shop in Hebron, according to Palestinian residents. Police intervened in clashes that broke out after the incident between Jewish settlers and Palestinian residents, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told DPA.
No one was reported injured in the clash that came as thousands of Jews arrived in Hebron to celebrate the Sabbath on Saturday. An Israeli woman and a Palestinian man were questioned but later released, Rosenfeld said.
The owner of the shop, Hani Jaber, had been serving life in an Israeli prison for stabbing to death a student from a Jewish religious seminary in the nearby Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba in 1993. A radical Jewish group has vowed revenge for his release and put up posters offering a price on his life.
Some Israeli Jews have condemned the prisoner exchange, under which Israel freed hundreds of jailed Palestinian militants in exchange for Gilad Shalit, the IDF soldier held captive in Gaza for over five years.
About 800 Jewish settlers, protected by a heavy Israeli military presence, live in Hebron's historic centre, among tens of thousands of Palestinians. The city was divided into Israeli- and Palestinian-controlled sectors under a 1997 agreement.
Nov 14, 2011
Netanyahu: Iran is closer to a nuclear bomb than people think
Following publication of damning IAEA report, PM says document by UN's nuclear watchdog does not represent reality as it only includes 'provable' facts.
Iran is closer to assembling a nuclear bomb than "people think," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, following a the publication of a report by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog on Tehran's nuclear program.
Last week, the hotly anticipated document said Iran appeared to have worked on designing an atomic bomb and that secret research may continue. It was the most detailed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report to date on the issue.
Based on what the agency called "credible" information, the IAEA repot indicated that Iran had built a large explosives vessel there to conduct hydrodynamic experiments, which are "strong indicators of possible weapon development."
Israel has used the report to convince the international community to impose tougher sanctions on the Islamic Republic, a move opposed by countries such as China and Russia.
Commenting on the Iranian nuclear program on Sunday, Netanyahu said that "international [diplomatic] efforts did not prevent Iran from advancing toward a nuclear bomb, and it may get there sooner than people think."
"The IAEA report includes only the evidence provable at a court of law, but the reality is that there are many more things that we are seeing beyond what the report states," Netanyahu added.
On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that Iran must respond soon to a report by the UN atomic agency alleging that it is working secretly on developing a nuclear weapon, saying that "Iran has a long history of deception and denial regarding its nuclear program and in the coming days we expect Iran to answer the serious questions raised by this report."
"The U.S. will continue to consult closely with our allies on the next steps we can take to increase pressure on Iran," Clinton said.
Iran is closer to assembling a nuclear bomb than "people think," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, following a the publication of a report by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog on Tehran's nuclear program.
Last week, the hotly anticipated document said Iran appeared to have worked on designing an atomic bomb and that secret research may continue. It was the most detailed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report to date on the issue.
Based on what the agency called "credible" information, the IAEA repot indicated that Iran had built a large explosives vessel there to conduct hydrodynamic experiments, which are "strong indicators of possible weapon development."
Israel has used the report to convince the international community to impose tougher sanctions on the Islamic Republic, a move opposed by countries such as China and Russia.
Commenting on the Iranian nuclear program on Sunday, Netanyahu said that "international [diplomatic] efforts did not prevent Iran from advancing toward a nuclear bomb, and it may get there sooner than people think."
"The IAEA report includes only the evidence provable at a court of law, but the reality is that there are many more things that we are seeing beyond what the report states," Netanyahu added.
On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that Iran must respond soon to a report by the UN atomic agency alleging that it is working secretly on developing a nuclear weapon, saying that "Iran has a long history of deception and denial regarding its nuclear program and in the coming days we expect Iran to answer the serious questions raised by this report."
"The U.S. will continue to consult closely with our allies on the next steps we can take to increase pressure on Iran," Clinton said.
Israel to transfer Palestinian funds held over UNESCO membership bid
Netanyahu, top ministers expected to approve the thawing of $100 million in Palestinian tax money; cabinet to formulate policy regarding sanctions against PA in case of future unilateral moves in the UN.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security-diplomatic cabinet is expected to meet Monday and approve the thaw of $100 million of tax funds Israel had collected for the Palestinian Authority during the month of October, and which were frozen over the Palestinian admission into the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
According to one senior Israeli official, the majority of cabinet ministers are expected for vote for passing the funds over to the PA, as a result of, among other reasons, the security establishment's vehement objection to the continued withholding of Palestinian funds, which the PA uses to pay Palestinian security officials in the West Bank.
The $100 million are Palestinian money which Israel collects for it under the Oslo Accords. GOC Central Command and the Shin Bet both believe that the continued withholding of the funds would hurt the salaries of Palestinian police officers, which could ultimately destabilize security arrangements in the West Bank.
However, cabinet is also expected to discuss new policies concerning future sanctions Israel could impose on the PA, if Palestinians continue to pursue unilateral actions in the United Nations.
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz is scheduled to present a proposal for economic sanctions on the PA in response to moves already taken in the UN, a proposal which could include the withholding of future tax collections.
Meanwhile, the future of the Palestinian bid for statehood in the UN is still unclear, as PA officials have yet to secure the 9 votes they need in the Security Council in order to be awarded full UN membership.
The Palestinians are mulling the option of appealing the United Nations General Assembly on November 29 in order to attain the status of upgraded observer, a possibility which has yet to convince Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
On Sunday, Abbas told U.S. Mideast Envoy David Hale that the Palestinian Authority was willing to cooperate with the Quartet on the Middle East in order to restart peace talks with Israel, adding, however, that Israel had to both freeze all construction in the settlements and recognize the 1967 borders as basis for future negotiations.
Hale and other Quartet representatives are expected to meet top PA negotiator Saeb Erekat on Monday as well as with Netanyahu's personal emissary Yitzhak Molcho.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security-diplomatic cabinet is expected to meet Monday and approve the thaw of $100 million of tax funds Israel had collected for the Palestinian Authority during the month of October, and which were frozen over the Palestinian admission into the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
According to one senior Israeli official, the majority of cabinet ministers are expected for vote for passing the funds over to the PA, as a result of, among other reasons, the security establishment's vehement objection to the continued withholding of Palestinian funds, which the PA uses to pay Palestinian security officials in the West Bank.
The $100 million are Palestinian money which Israel collects for it under the Oslo Accords. GOC Central Command and the Shin Bet both believe that the continued withholding of the funds would hurt the salaries of Palestinian police officers, which could ultimately destabilize security arrangements in the West Bank.
However, cabinet is also expected to discuss new policies concerning future sanctions Israel could impose on the PA, if Palestinians continue to pursue unilateral actions in the United Nations.
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz is scheduled to present a proposal for economic sanctions on the PA in response to moves already taken in the UN, a proposal which could include the withholding of future tax collections.
Meanwhile, the future of the Palestinian bid for statehood in the UN is still unclear, as PA officials have yet to secure the 9 votes they need in the Security Council in order to be awarded full UN membership.
The Palestinians are mulling the option of appealing the United Nations General Assembly on November 29 in order to attain the status of upgraded observer, a possibility which has yet to convince Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
On Sunday, Abbas told U.S. Mideast Envoy David Hale that the Palestinian Authority was willing to cooperate with the Quartet on the Middle East in order to restart peace talks with Israel, adding, however, that Israel had to both freeze all construction in the settlements and recognize the 1967 borders as basis for future negotiations.
Hale and other Quartet representatives are expected to meet top PA negotiator Saeb Erekat on Monday as well as with Netanyahu's personal emissary Yitzhak Molcho.
Nov 9, 2011
Netanyahu: IAEA report confirms Israel's suspicions on nuclear Iran
PM calls on international community to stop Iranian race toward nuclear weapons, in first official response to IAEA report detailing Iran's attempt to produce nuclear weapons since 2003.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the international community to stop the Iranian race toward nuclear weapons on Wednesday, a day after the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report stating that Tehran had been working continuously to obtain a nuclear weapon since 2003.
A statement released by the Prime Minister's Office said "the IAEA report confirms both the international community and Israel's claim that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon."
The IAEA report, which was handed over to the 35-member states of the IAEA Board of Governors, details a series of tests, acquisition of materials, and technology that suggests Iran has continuously worked to produce a nuclear weapon since 2003.
A diplomatic source in Vienna told Haaretz that this is "the most damning report ever published by the IAEA and the conclusion arising from it is one: Iran is working to acquire a nuclear weapon."
The Prime Minister's statement comes in the wake of Russia's refusal to support new, tougher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
On the other hand, France said on Wednesday that it wanted to convene the UN Security Council and could push for unprecedented sanctions against Iran after an International Atomic Energy Agency report said Iran had worked to develop an atomic bomb design.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the international community to stop the Iranian race toward nuclear weapons on Wednesday, a day after the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report stating that Tehran had been working continuously to obtain a nuclear weapon since 2003.
A statement released by the Prime Minister's Office said "the IAEA report confirms both the international community and Israel's claim that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon."
The IAEA report, which was handed over to the 35-member states of the IAEA Board of Governors, details a series of tests, acquisition of materials, and technology that suggests Iran has continuously worked to produce a nuclear weapon since 2003.
A diplomatic source in Vienna told Haaretz that this is "the most damning report ever published by the IAEA and the conclusion arising from it is one: Iran is working to acquire a nuclear weapon."
The Prime Minister's statement comes in the wake of Russia's refusal to support new, tougher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
On the other hand, France said on Wednesday that it wanted to convene the UN Security Council and could push for unprecedented sanctions against Iran after an International Atomic Energy Agency report said Iran had worked to develop an atomic bomb design.
Iran feels pressure of nuclear economic sanctions, U.K. official says
British ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould, says sanctions can stop Iran's nuclear program.
Speaking to Haaretz on Wednesday, the British ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould, stressed that efforts to reign in the Iranian nuclear program through sanctions have not run their course. He cited two important new developments on the Iranian issue: This week's report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which provided evidence that Iran has been working for years to develop nuclear weapons; and the reported Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States.
"Now both of these," said Gould, who previously served as a British diplomat in Iran, "only reinforce our determination to keep ramping up the economic pressure on the Iranian regime. And we were anyway engaged in an approach in which we, step-by-step, increase the economic cost to Iran of pursuing its nuclear program, as it is in defiance of UN resolutions. Along with a number of other countries, we have been looking for ways at the UN, and the European Union and groups of like-minded countries to do that, and now, after the IAEA report in particular, we are absolutely determined to do so."
"Economic sanctions so far have already had a bigger impact than either the skeptics thought they would or indeed the Iranian regime thought they would. Even [Iranian] President Ahmadinejad has been saying publicly in the last few weeks how much damage sanctions have caused. So firstly, don't estimate what has been done already, and the impact of it," Gould noted.
"The precedent is that under sufficient pressure, the Iranian regime has on occasion changed course," he said. Underlining the value of sanctions, the ambassador stated: "Our current approach has some way left to run, and of all the different approaches on offer, we're not taking any approach off the table. Right now we think this approach has the best chance of working.
"We won't necessarily see them [the Iranians] stressing about the impact of sanctions," Gould asserted. "That won't be played out in public. The Iranian regime will continue to be hard-line in its rhetoric and continue its approach right up to the moment where they change their mind, and this was the case in October 2003, where right up to the moment they suspended, their public approach continued to be one of 'We will never suspend our enrichment program.'"
He declined, to "insert" himself, in his words, into the debate in Israel about the wisdom of an Israeli attack on Iran.
"There is no option which is a sort of magic bullet," he cautioned. "The idea of a military option, I think, needs to be set alongside the risks of a military option, and the very real risk of major unintended consequences in Iran and regionally."
"The U.K. and Israel stay in very close touch about the threat from Iran," he noted. "I think it is very good that Israel is so alive to the threat from Iran," he also said.
Speaking to Haaretz on Wednesday, the British ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould, stressed that efforts to reign in the Iranian nuclear program through sanctions have not run their course. He cited two important new developments on the Iranian issue: This week's report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which provided evidence that Iran has been working for years to develop nuclear weapons; and the reported Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States.
"Now both of these," said Gould, who previously served as a British diplomat in Iran, "only reinforce our determination to keep ramping up the economic pressure on the Iranian regime. And we were anyway engaged in an approach in which we, step-by-step, increase the economic cost to Iran of pursuing its nuclear program, as it is in defiance of UN resolutions. Along with a number of other countries, we have been looking for ways at the UN, and the European Union and groups of like-minded countries to do that, and now, after the IAEA report in particular, we are absolutely determined to do so."
"Economic sanctions so far have already had a bigger impact than either the skeptics thought they would or indeed the Iranian regime thought they would. Even [Iranian] President Ahmadinejad has been saying publicly in the last few weeks how much damage sanctions have caused. So firstly, don't estimate what has been done already, and the impact of it," Gould noted.
"The precedent is that under sufficient pressure, the Iranian regime has on occasion changed course," he said. Underlining the value of sanctions, the ambassador stated: "Our current approach has some way left to run, and of all the different approaches on offer, we're not taking any approach off the table. Right now we think this approach has the best chance of working.
"We won't necessarily see them [the Iranians] stressing about the impact of sanctions," Gould asserted. "That won't be played out in public. The Iranian regime will continue to be hard-line in its rhetoric and continue its approach right up to the moment where they change their mind, and this was the case in October 2003, where right up to the moment they suspended, their public approach continued to be one of 'We will never suspend our enrichment program.'"
He declined, to "insert" himself, in his words, into the debate in Israel about the wisdom of an Israeli attack on Iran.
"There is no option which is a sort of magic bullet," he cautioned. "The idea of a military option, I think, needs to be set alongside the risks of a military option, and the very real risk of major unintended consequences in Iran and regionally."
"The U.K. and Israel stay in very close touch about the threat from Iran," he noted. "I think it is very good that Israel is so alive to the threat from Iran," he also said.
U.S. calls UN report on Iran nuclear program 'alarming,' vows further sanctions
Speaking in wake of damning IAEA report, State Department official says U.S. looking into 'additional ways to apply pressure on Iran'; France: Israel won't stand alone against nuclear Iran.
The United States said Tuesday it was alarmed by a recently published International Atomic Energy Agency report on Iran's nuclear program, adding that it would pursue further economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic, as well as mulling "a range of possibilities."
The IAEA report, which was handed over to the 35-member states of the IAEA Board of Governors, details a series of tests, acquisition of materials, and technology that suggests Iran has continuously worked to produce a nuclear weapon since 2003.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said the conclusions drawn by the report were "alarming," adding that Washington was looking into "additional ways to apply pressure on Iran."
"These are very serious allegations, serious charges", Toner said. "And it's incumbent on Iran to at last engage with the IAEA in a credible and transparent manner to address these concerns. I think going forward we're consulting with our partners and allies within the IAEA. There is going to be a Board of Governors meeting, I think, at the end of next week where this will be addressed."
Toner added that the U.S. was going "to work with our allies and partners" to find ways to pressure Iran away from nuclear armament development, adding that Tehran had "to address these questions, very serious questions, raised by not America, not the United States, but the international community, about the intent of its nuclear program."
Toner called the IAEA report "one of the most comprehensive and detailed assessments of Iran's efforts to develop nuclear weapons," saying it "raises further questions about the nature of Iran's nuclear program."
"It also demonstrates what the U.S. has known and made clear for years, which is that Iran did have a nuclear weapons program and has yet to provide any assurance that has not abandoned its intent to develop nuclear weapons," the U.S. official said.
Asked what options the U.S. is considering specifically, he said the administration "is going to look at a range of possibilities".
"We've said before that we believe the existing UN sanctions - and Resolution 1929 puts in place some of the most stringent sanctions to date for Iran and that they are having an economic impact on Iran," Toner said, adding that they were "squeezing the Iranians' economy."
"Right now I just will say that we're looking at a range of options with the overall intent of being ways that we can put additional pressure on Iran, so again, to make clear to the Iranian government that it needs to come clean," he added.
In another response to the report by the UN's nuclear watchdog, French president Nikola Sarkozy told prominent Jewish leaders that "France will always stand side by side with Israel to oppose an Iran that threatens it by developing nuclear weapons."
The comment was made during a meeting with a delegation of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) led by WJC President Ronald S. Lauder and the president of the French Jewish community umbrella organization CRIF, Richard Prasquier.
The United States said Tuesday it was alarmed by a recently published International Atomic Energy Agency report on Iran's nuclear program, adding that it would pursue further economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic, as well as mulling "a range of possibilities."
The IAEA report, which was handed over to the 35-member states of the IAEA Board of Governors, details a series of tests, acquisition of materials, and technology that suggests Iran has continuously worked to produce a nuclear weapon since 2003.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said the conclusions drawn by the report were "alarming," adding that Washington was looking into "additional ways to apply pressure on Iran."
"These are very serious allegations, serious charges", Toner said. "And it's incumbent on Iran to at last engage with the IAEA in a credible and transparent manner to address these concerns. I think going forward we're consulting with our partners and allies within the IAEA. There is going to be a Board of Governors meeting, I think, at the end of next week where this will be addressed."
Toner added that the U.S. was going "to work with our allies and partners" to find ways to pressure Iran away from nuclear armament development, adding that Tehran had "to address these questions, very serious questions, raised by not America, not the United States, but the international community, about the intent of its nuclear program."
Toner called the IAEA report "one of the most comprehensive and detailed assessments of Iran's efforts to develop nuclear weapons," saying it "raises further questions about the nature of Iran's nuclear program."
"It also demonstrates what the U.S. has known and made clear for years, which is that Iran did have a nuclear weapons program and has yet to provide any assurance that has not abandoned its intent to develop nuclear weapons," the U.S. official said.
Asked what options the U.S. is considering specifically, he said the administration "is going to look at a range of possibilities".
"We've said before that we believe the existing UN sanctions - and Resolution 1929 puts in place some of the most stringent sanctions to date for Iran and that they are having an economic impact on Iran," Toner said, adding that they were "squeezing the Iranians' economy."
"Right now I just will say that we're looking at a range of options with the overall intent of being ways that we can put additional pressure on Iran, so again, to make clear to the Iranian government that it needs to come clean," he added.
In another response to the report by the UN's nuclear watchdog, French president Nikola Sarkozy told prominent Jewish leaders that "France will always stand side by side with Israel to oppose an Iran that threatens it by developing nuclear weapons."
The comment was made during a meeting with a delegation of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) led by WJC President Ronald S. Lauder and the president of the French Jewish community umbrella organization CRIF, Richard Prasquier.
U.S. officials coming to Israel to discuss how to handle Iran
Blacklisting the central bank, which essentially means banning all business with it, would deal severe blow to Iran's economy, banking system and currency.
Two senior U.S. officials will come to Israel next week to discuss plans for new sanctions on Iran in response to the International Atomic Energy Agency's latest report on its nuclear program. Washington hopes to mobilize the European Union and other developed countries to blacklist Iran's central bank.
Blacklisting the central bank, which essentially means banning all business with it, would deal a severe blow to Iran's economy, its banking system and the stability of its currency.
According to Israeli officials, the Americans who will visit Israel next Monday and Tuesday are David Cohen, under secretary of the treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, who is charge of America's economic sanctions on Iran, and Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides. They will meet with a host of Israeli government, army and intelligence officials.
From Israel, Cohen will proceed to the United Arab Emirates for similar talks. Dubai serves as a key conduit for Iran's trade, which totals more than $20 billion a year. Last week, Cohen was in Rome, Paris, London and Berlin to discuss a new round of sanctions with European officials.
The United States is also discussing new sanctions on Iran with Russia and China, but both countries remain adamantly opposed. That means there is little chance of additional sanctions being approved by the UN Security Council, where both countries wield vetoes.
Washington is therefore focusing on mobilizing a "coalition of the willing" to impose new sanctions unilaterally. It hopes this coalition will include Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and more. If all these countries blacklisted Iran's central bank and imposed new restrictions on its civil aviation and shipping, this would create real pressure on Tehran, U.S. and European officials said.
On Wednesday, Israel released its first official response to the IAEA report.
"The IAEA report corroborates the position of the international community, and of Israel, that Iran is developing nuclear weapons," read a statement by the Prime Minister's Office. "The significance of the report is that the international community must bring about the cessation of Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, which endanger the peace of the world and of the Middle East."
The Foreign Ministry also launched a major campaign to urge other countries to impose new sanctions on Iran, telling all Israeli ambassadors to make this a top priority.
Iran predictably rejected the IAEA report, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday vowed in an interview with state television that Iran wouldn't retreat "one iota" from its nuclear program. But he denied that it seeks nuclear weapons, and said the IAEA was discrediting itself by siding with "absurd U.S. claims."
Tehran also kept up its threats against an Israeli military strike: Brig. Gen. Masoud Jazayeri on Wednesday told the Iranian television station Alalam an Israeli attack would lead to its "destruction," adding, "If pillars of smoke rise from our nuclear facilities, a similar drama could be seen in other regions as well." Nor would Iran's response "be limited to the Middle East," he said.
But opposition figures said the government is divided over what to do next, and some of Ahmadinejad's critics accused him of deliberately inflaming the nuclear issue to distract attention from his own political woes.
Nevertheless, they said, they did not foresee either significant new sanctions - given the Russian and Chinese opposition - or military action against Iran.
Indeed, while China declined comment on the IAEA report on Wednesday, saying it was still studying it, the Russian foreign ministry flatly ruled out new sanctions, calling the report a "biased" compilation of well-known facts intended to "juggle" public opinion.
"Any additional sanctions against Iran would be perceived by the international community as an instrument for regime change in Tehran," Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov explained to the Interfax news agency.
In July, Moscow unveiled a plan for renewed Iranian negotiations with the IAEA, and it is expected to hold intensive discussions with Tehran in the coming days.
Two senior U.S. officials will come to Israel next week to discuss plans for new sanctions on Iran in response to the International Atomic Energy Agency's latest report on its nuclear program. Washington hopes to mobilize the European Union and other developed countries to blacklist Iran's central bank.
Blacklisting the central bank, which essentially means banning all business with it, would deal a severe blow to Iran's economy, its banking system and the stability of its currency.
According to Israeli officials, the Americans who will visit Israel next Monday and Tuesday are David Cohen, under secretary of the treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, who is charge of America's economic sanctions on Iran, and Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides. They will meet with a host of Israeli government, army and intelligence officials.
From Israel, Cohen will proceed to the United Arab Emirates for similar talks. Dubai serves as a key conduit for Iran's trade, which totals more than $20 billion a year. Last week, Cohen was in Rome, Paris, London and Berlin to discuss a new round of sanctions with European officials.
The United States is also discussing new sanctions on Iran with Russia and China, but both countries remain adamantly opposed. That means there is little chance of additional sanctions being approved by the UN Security Council, where both countries wield vetoes.
Washington is therefore focusing on mobilizing a "coalition of the willing" to impose new sanctions unilaterally. It hopes this coalition will include Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and more. If all these countries blacklisted Iran's central bank and imposed new restrictions on its civil aviation and shipping, this would create real pressure on Tehran, U.S. and European officials said.
On Wednesday, Israel released its first official response to the IAEA report.
"The IAEA report corroborates the position of the international community, and of Israel, that Iran is developing nuclear weapons," read a statement by the Prime Minister's Office. "The significance of the report is that the international community must bring about the cessation of Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, which endanger the peace of the world and of the Middle East."
The Foreign Ministry also launched a major campaign to urge other countries to impose new sanctions on Iran, telling all Israeli ambassadors to make this a top priority.
Iran predictably rejected the IAEA report, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday vowed in an interview with state television that Iran wouldn't retreat "one iota" from its nuclear program. But he denied that it seeks nuclear weapons, and said the IAEA was discrediting itself by siding with "absurd U.S. claims."
Tehran also kept up its threats against an Israeli military strike: Brig. Gen. Masoud Jazayeri on Wednesday told the Iranian television station Alalam an Israeli attack would lead to its "destruction," adding, "If pillars of smoke rise from our nuclear facilities, a similar drama could be seen in other regions as well." Nor would Iran's response "be limited to the Middle East," he said.
But opposition figures said the government is divided over what to do next, and some of Ahmadinejad's critics accused him of deliberately inflaming the nuclear issue to distract attention from his own political woes.
Nevertheless, they said, they did not foresee either significant new sanctions - given the Russian and Chinese opposition - or military action against Iran.
Indeed, while China declined comment on the IAEA report on Wednesday, saying it was still studying it, the Russian foreign ministry flatly ruled out new sanctions, calling the report a "biased" compilation of well-known facts intended to "juggle" public opinion.
"Any additional sanctions against Iran would be perceived by the international community as an instrument for regime change in Tehran," Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov explained to the Interfax news agency.
In July, Moscow unveiled a plan for renewed Iranian negotiations with the IAEA, and it is expected to hold intensive discussions with Tehran in the coming days.
Nov 8, 2011
Iran vows to pursue nuclear program, despite speculation of Israeli plans to attack
Ahmadinejad advises U.S. and Israel to 'stop and be ashamed', as media frenzy debates consideration of military option; Iran president says UN nuclear agency chief is an American pawn.
Iran would not stop its nuclear work, despite media speculation that Israel was considering military threats, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday.
"We advise the United States and its ally [Israel] to stop and be ashamed of [their threats] and be aware that Iran will not take one step back [from its nuclear program]," Ahmadinejad said in a meeting with students in Tehran.
"Anyone acting against Iran would gravely regret" a military attack, he said according to official news agency IRNA.
Ahmadinejad also criticized the head of the UN's nuclear agency as an American pawn, in the run-up to its expected release of evidence which purports to document Tehran's nuclear weapons program.
In remarks broadcast on state television Ahmadinejad said that International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano was simply repeating U.S. allegations.
"He delivers the papers that American officials hand on him," Ahmadinejad said."I am sorry that a person is heading the agency who has no power by himself and violates the agency's regulations, too," the Iranian president said.
Ahmadinejad was speaking ahead of the publication Wednesday of a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA], which is expected to disclose new details of Iranian efforts to build a computer model of a nuclear warhead.
Western nuclear experts have told Haaretz, in anticipation of the IAEA report, that Iran will be ready to build a nuclear bomb within a few months if it desires.
Israel, the U.S. and some other Western countries were awaiting the release of the report before considering harsher steps against Tehran, while media reports have speculated that Israel may launch a military attack on Iran's nuclear sites.
"We do not accept any accusations by the IAEA, whose head unfortunately has no authority and just repeats what the US tells him to say," Ahmadinejad said.
The Iranian president once again reiterated that Tehran was not after nuclear weapons and was pursuing a civil nuclear program in line with international regulations.
The West fears however that Iran has been using the peaceful projects as a cover, and plans to use the same technology to make a nuclear bomb.
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi said Tuesday that neither the IAEA, the U.S., nor Israel had any proof that Iran was working on computer models of nuclear warheads, and said the accusations were solely made to pressure Iran.
Iran says that, as a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the IAEA, it has the legitimate right to pursue a civil nuclear program.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday played down speculation that Israel intended to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, saying it had not decided to embark on any military operation.
"War is not a picnic. We want a picnic. We don't want a war," Barak told Israel Radio ahead of the release this week of the IAEA report on Iran's nuclear activity. "[Israel] had not yet decided to embark on any operation."
But he said Israel had to prepare for "uncomfortable situations" and ultimately bore responsibility for its own security. All options to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions should
remain open, he said.
"I estimate that it will be quite a harsh report ... it does not surprise Israel, we have been dealing with these issues for years," Barak said. "We are probably at the last opportunity for coordinated, international, lethal sanctions that will force Iran to stop."
France and Russia this week both warned Israel against choosing a military opinion for dealing with Iran, cautioning it could cause irreparable damage to the region.
Iran would not stop its nuclear work, despite media speculation that Israel was considering military threats, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday.
"We advise the United States and its ally [Israel] to stop and be ashamed of [their threats] and be aware that Iran will not take one step back [from its nuclear program]," Ahmadinejad said in a meeting with students in Tehran.
"Anyone acting against Iran would gravely regret" a military attack, he said according to official news agency IRNA.
Ahmadinejad also criticized the head of the UN's nuclear agency as an American pawn, in the run-up to its expected release of evidence which purports to document Tehran's nuclear weapons program.
In remarks broadcast on state television Ahmadinejad said that International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano was simply repeating U.S. allegations.
"He delivers the papers that American officials hand on him," Ahmadinejad said."I am sorry that a person is heading the agency who has no power by himself and violates the agency's regulations, too," the Iranian president said.
Ahmadinejad was speaking ahead of the publication Wednesday of a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA], which is expected to disclose new details of Iranian efforts to build a computer model of a nuclear warhead.
Western nuclear experts have told Haaretz, in anticipation of the IAEA report, that Iran will be ready to build a nuclear bomb within a few months if it desires.
Israel, the U.S. and some other Western countries were awaiting the release of the report before considering harsher steps against Tehran, while media reports have speculated that Israel may launch a military attack on Iran's nuclear sites.
"We do not accept any accusations by the IAEA, whose head unfortunately has no authority and just repeats what the US tells him to say," Ahmadinejad said.
The Iranian president once again reiterated that Tehran was not after nuclear weapons and was pursuing a civil nuclear program in line with international regulations.
The West fears however that Iran has been using the peaceful projects as a cover, and plans to use the same technology to make a nuclear bomb.
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi said Tuesday that neither the IAEA, the U.S., nor Israel had any proof that Iran was working on computer models of nuclear warheads, and said the accusations were solely made to pressure Iran.
Iran says that, as a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the IAEA, it has the legitimate right to pursue a civil nuclear program.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday played down speculation that Israel intended to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, saying it had not decided to embark on any military operation.
"War is not a picnic. We want a picnic. We don't want a war," Barak told Israel Radio ahead of the release this week of the IAEA report on Iran's nuclear activity. "[Israel] had not yet decided to embark on any operation."
But he said Israel had to prepare for "uncomfortable situations" and ultimately bore responsibility for its own security. All options to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions should
remain open, he said.
"I estimate that it will be quite a harsh report ... it does not surprise Israel, we have been dealing with these issues for years," Barak said. "We are probably at the last opportunity for coordinated, international, lethal sanctions that will force Iran to stop."
France and Russia this week both warned Israel against choosing a military opinion for dealing with Iran, cautioning it could cause irreparable damage to the region.
Condoleezza Rice: I have no doubt Israel will defend itself against Iran
Former Secretary of State says pressure on Iran is absolute must to prevent 'unintended consequences' of Israeli attack.
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said she is sure the Israelis will defend themselves against the Iranians if they were to reach nuclear capabilities.
"I don't have any doubt that the Israelis will defend themselves if the Iranians look as if they really are about to cross that nuclear threshold," Rice told Newsmax in a TV interview.
Rice maintained that pressure on Iran must continue in order to prevent an Israeli attack.
"Pressure on the Iranian regime is an absolute must, because the unintended consequences of an attack by Israel on Iran, the very fact that we talk about something like that, shows how extremely crucial this issue is," Rice told Newsmax.
Earlier Monday, Western experts reported that Iran has acquired the knowledge, technology, and resources to build a nuclear bomb within months, according to a report by the United Nations' atomic agency they were briefed on.
Moreover, Israel's media has been rife with speculation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to secure cabinet consensus for an attack on Iranian nuclear installations.
Russia's foreign minister warned on Monday that an Israeli military strike against Iran would be a grave mistake with unpredictable consequences.
"This would be a very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said when asked about reports that Israel planned a military strike against Iran.
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said she is sure the Israelis will defend themselves against the Iranians if they were to reach nuclear capabilities.
"I don't have any doubt that the Israelis will defend themselves if the Iranians look as if they really are about to cross that nuclear threshold," Rice told Newsmax in a TV interview.
Rice maintained that pressure on Iran must continue in order to prevent an Israeli attack.
"Pressure on the Iranian regime is an absolute must, because the unintended consequences of an attack by Israel on Iran, the very fact that we talk about something like that, shows how extremely crucial this issue is," Rice told Newsmax.
Earlier Monday, Western experts reported that Iran has acquired the knowledge, technology, and resources to build a nuclear bomb within months, according to a report by the United Nations' atomic agency they were briefed on.
Moreover, Israel's media has been rife with speculation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to secure cabinet consensus for an attack on Iranian nuclear installations.
Russia's foreign minister warned on Monday that an Israeli military strike against Iran would be a grave mistake with unpredictable consequences.
"This would be a very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said when asked about reports that Israel planned a military strike against Iran.
Russia accuses Israel of using 'dangerous rhetoric' against Iran
President Dmitry Medvedev says threatening atmosphere being created by Israel, and that now is the time to 'take a deep breath and open talks'.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused Israel on Tuesday of using "dangerous rhetoric" that could lead to a war with Iran, amid rising tensions over the latter's nuclear program.
Speaking in Berlin after meeting his German counterpart Christian Wulff, Medvedev said a threatening atmosphere was being created by the Israelis, as media speculation abounded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak were considering a military option against Iran.
"The threat of a military strike could lead to a major war," he warned, adding that it was now vital to calm the situation, "take a deep breath and open talks."
Moscow had repeatedly urged Tehran to prove to the world that its nuclear research was purely peaceful in its objectives. "Unfortunately there hasn't been any movement in this direction," said Medvedev, who was later to attend a ceremony to open an undersea gas pipeline through the Baltic Sea.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Monday that a strike against Iran would be a grave mistake with unpredictable consequences: "This would be a very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences," he said.
Defense Minister Barak played down speculation Tuesday that Israel intended to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, saying it had not decided to embark on any military operation.
"War is not a picnic. We want a picnic. We don't want a war," Barak told Israel Radio ahead of the release this week of an International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] report on Iran's nuclear activity. "[Israel] had not yet decided to embark on any operation."
But he said Israel had to prepare for "uncomfortable situations" and ultimately bore responsibility for its own security. All options to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions should
remain open, he said.
The IAEA report is widely expected to strengthen suspicions that Iran is seeking to produce nuclear weapons despite its statements that its uranium enrichment programme is aimed at power generation.
"I estimate that it will be quite a harsh report ... it does not surprise Israel, we have been dealing with these issues for years," Barak said. "We are probably at the last opportunity for coordinated, international, lethal sanctions that will force Iran to stop."
The International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] is set to issue a report this week on Iran's nuclear activity. Western nuclear experts have told Haaretz, in anticipation of the IAEA report, that Iran will be ready to build a nuclear bomb within a few months if it desires.
Other experts, who have seen intelligence used in the compilation of the latest report, have said that Tehran already has the know-how, the technological means and the materials needed to put an atom bomb together within short order.
These experts have concluded that nuclear weapons engineers from Russia, Pakistan and North Korea have been assisting Iranian scientists in their efforts to reach nuclear capability. Haaretz published similar information last week, reporting that experts have said that Iran could carry out underground nuclear tests quite soon if it wants to.
France this week also warned Israel against taking a military options, saying it was seeking to harden sanctions instead.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused Israel on Tuesday of using "dangerous rhetoric" that could lead to a war with Iran, amid rising tensions over the latter's nuclear program.
Speaking in Berlin after meeting his German counterpart Christian Wulff, Medvedev said a threatening atmosphere was being created by the Israelis, as media speculation abounded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak were considering a military option against Iran.
"The threat of a military strike could lead to a major war," he warned, adding that it was now vital to calm the situation, "take a deep breath and open talks."
Moscow had repeatedly urged Tehran to prove to the world that its nuclear research was purely peaceful in its objectives. "Unfortunately there hasn't been any movement in this direction," said Medvedev, who was later to attend a ceremony to open an undersea gas pipeline through the Baltic Sea.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Monday that a strike against Iran would be a grave mistake with unpredictable consequences: "This would be a very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences," he said.
Defense Minister Barak played down speculation Tuesday that Israel intended to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, saying it had not decided to embark on any military operation.
"War is not a picnic. We want a picnic. We don't want a war," Barak told Israel Radio ahead of the release this week of an International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] report on Iran's nuclear activity. "[Israel] had not yet decided to embark on any operation."
But he said Israel had to prepare for "uncomfortable situations" and ultimately bore responsibility for its own security. All options to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions should
remain open, he said.
The IAEA report is widely expected to strengthen suspicions that Iran is seeking to produce nuclear weapons despite its statements that its uranium enrichment programme is aimed at power generation.
"I estimate that it will be quite a harsh report ... it does not surprise Israel, we have been dealing with these issues for years," Barak said. "We are probably at the last opportunity for coordinated, international, lethal sanctions that will force Iran to stop."
The International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] is set to issue a report this week on Iran's nuclear activity. Western nuclear experts have told Haaretz, in anticipation of the IAEA report, that Iran will be ready to build a nuclear bomb within a few months if it desires.
Other experts, who have seen intelligence used in the compilation of the latest report, have said that Tehran already has the know-how, the technological means and the materials needed to put an atom bomb together within short order.
These experts have concluded that nuclear weapons engineers from Russia, Pakistan and North Korea have been assisting Iranian scientists in their efforts to reach nuclear capability. Haaretz published similar information last week, reporting that experts have said that Iran could carry out underground nuclear tests quite soon if it wants to.
France this week also warned Israel against taking a military options, saying it was seeking to harden sanctions instead.
Barak: Israel has not yet decided on military operation against Iran
Defense Minister downplays speculation Jerusalem is preparing for attack, says 'war is not a picnic. We want a picnic. We don't want a war'; France and Russia voice concern over possibility of striking Iran's nuclear facilities.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday played down speculation that Israel intended to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, saying it had not decided to embark on any military operation.
"War is not a picnic. We want a picnic. We don't want a war," Barak told Israel Radio ahead of the release this week of an International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] report on Iran's nuclear activity.
"[Israel] had not yet decided to embark on any operation," he said, dismissing Israeli media speculation that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had chosen that option.
But he said Israel had to prepare for "uncomfortable situations" and ultimately bore responsibility for its own security. All options to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions should
remain open, he said.
The IAEA report is widely expected to strengthen suspicions that Iran is seeking to produce nuclear weapons despite its statements that its uranium enrichment programme is aimed at power generation.
"I estimate that it will be quite a harsh report ... it does not surprise Israel, we have been dealing with these issues for years," Barak said. "We are probably at the last opportunity for coordinated, international, lethal sanctions that will force Iran to stop."
Western nuclear experts have told Haaretz, in anticipation of the IAEA report, that Iran will be ready to build a nuclear bomb within a few months if it desires.
Other experts, who have seen intelligence used in the compilation of the latest report, have said that Tehran already has the know-how, the technological means and the materials needed to put an atom bomb together within short order.
These experts have concluded that nuclear weapons engineers from Russia, Pakistan and North Korea have been assisting Iranian scientists in their efforts to reach nuclear capability. Haaretz published similar information last week, reporting that experts have said that Iran could carry out underground nuclear tests quite soon if it wants to.
The foreign ministers of Russia and France have warned this week that an Israeli military strike against Iran would cause irreparable damage.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that such a strike against Iran would be a grave mistake with unpredictable consequences: "This would be a very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences," he said.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said his country was "very worried" about the potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, but opposes any strike against the Islamic Republic because it would destabilize the region. He said earlier this week that France supported the hardening of sanctions against Iran.
Earlier this week, Haaretz learned that U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta did not get a clear commitment from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Barak that Israel would not take action against Iranian nuclear facilities without coordinating any such operation with the United States.
According to American officials who were briefed about the visit Panetta made a month ago to Israel, the two Israeli leaders only answered Panetta's questions regarding Israel's intentions toward Iran in a general manner.
Panetta arrived in Israel on October 3 and, in addition to Netanyahu and Barak, also met with Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz and senior members of the IDF General Staff. The U.S. defense secretary's visit came against the backdrop of a sense among members of the American administration that they didn't clearly understand where Israel was headed with regard to the entire subject of the threat from Iran.
Panetta raised the Iranian issue in his talks in Israel with both Netanyahu and Barak. He sought not only to hear about Israel's intentions but also to underline that the U.S. was interested in full coordination with Israel on the issue of the Iranian nuclear threat. The American defense secretary hinted that the Americans did not want to be surprised by Israel. For their parts, however, Netanyahu and Barak avoided providing a clear response, answering vaguely and in general terms.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday played down speculation that Israel intended to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, saying it had not decided to embark on any military operation.
"War is not a picnic. We want a picnic. We don't want a war," Barak told Israel Radio ahead of the release this week of an International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] report on Iran's nuclear activity.
"[Israel] had not yet decided to embark on any operation," he said, dismissing Israeli media speculation that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had chosen that option.
But he said Israel had to prepare for "uncomfortable situations" and ultimately bore responsibility for its own security. All options to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions should
remain open, he said.
The IAEA report is widely expected to strengthen suspicions that Iran is seeking to produce nuclear weapons despite its statements that its uranium enrichment programme is aimed at power generation.
"I estimate that it will be quite a harsh report ... it does not surprise Israel, we have been dealing with these issues for years," Barak said. "We are probably at the last opportunity for coordinated, international, lethal sanctions that will force Iran to stop."
Western nuclear experts have told Haaretz, in anticipation of the IAEA report, that Iran will be ready to build a nuclear bomb within a few months if it desires.
Other experts, who have seen intelligence used in the compilation of the latest report, have said that Tehran already has the know-how, the technological means and the materials needed to put an atom bomb together within short order.
These experts have concluded that nuclear weapons engineers from Russia, Pakistan and North Korea have been assisting Iranian scientists in their efforts to reach nuclear capability. Haaretz published similar information last week, reporting that experts have said that Iran could carry out underground nuclear tests quite soon if it wants to.
The foreign ministers of Russia and France have warned this week that an Israeli military strike against Iran would cause irreparable damage.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that such a strike against Iran would be a grave mistake with unpredictable consequences: "This would be a very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences," he said.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said his country was "very worried" about the potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, but opposes any strike against the Islamic Republic because it would destabilize the region. He said earlier this week that France supported the hardening of sanctions against Iran.
Earlier this week, Haaretz learned that U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta did not get a clear commitment from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Barak that Israel would not take action against Iranian nuclear facilities without coordinating any such operation with the United States.
According to American officials who were briefed about the visit Panetta made a month ago to Israel, the two Israeli leaders only answered Panetta's questions regarding Israel's intentions toward Iran in a general manner.
Panetta arrived in Israel on October 3 and, in addition to Netanyahu and Barak, also met with Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz and senior members of the IDF General Staff. The U.S. defense secretary's visit came against the backdrop of a sense among members of the American administration that they didn't clearly understand where Israel was headed with regard to the entire subject of the threat from Iran.
Panetta raised the Iranian issue in his talks in Israel with both Netanyahu and Barak. He sought not only to hear about Israel's intentions but also to underline that the U.S. was interested in full coordination with Israel on the issue of the Iranian nuclear threat. The American defense secretary hinted that the Americans did not want to be surprised by Israel. For their parts, however, Netanyahu and Barak avoided providing a clear response, answering vaguely and in general terms.
Nov 6, 2011
IAEA report on Iran's nuclear program to be released Monday
Report will invalidate U.S. intelligence report from 2007 that stated Iran had stopped its work on nuclear weapons development in 2003.
On Monday, or at the latest Wednesday, the director general of the United Nation's International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, will present his latest report on the Iranian nuclear program. The report will be officially presented to the representatives of 35 countries that compose the IAEA's Board of Governors.
The report is expected to reach the media after it is officially presented, and will determine in the harshest fashion that Iran has conducted a long list of activities, including field tests and computer simulations whose sole meaning is that Iran is attempting to acquire nuclear weapons. This report will be much harsher than any of the IAEA's reports on Iran that have appeared annually since 2003. But it is doubtful that the report will state clearly that Iran already has the capability to manufacture nuclear weapons.
The report's main importance is that it will emphasize that Iran has continued its various activities to produce nuclear weapons since 2004, and therefore the report will also invalidate the U.S. intelligence report from 2007 that stated Iran had stopped its work on nuclear weapons development in 2003.
The report lists a number of Iranian activities to produce the weapons, including tests to determine the strength of a nuclear blast, developing capabilities to produce such weapons and trials, tests and simulations - all in an attempt to reduce the size of nuclear weapons so they could be mounted on a missile warhead. Most of the tests were conducted in a military base in Parchin, about 30 kilometers from Tehran, the report will state. Since this is a military base, IAEA inspectors have no authority to visit or inspect the site.
About a week after the report is presented, the Board of Governors will meet to discuss it. The U.S. and other Western nations will demand that the UN Security Council meet and introduce stricter, more effective and more painful sanctions against Iran in response to the report. But Russia and China, who are trying up to the very last moment to soften the report, object to further sanctions and it is doubtful such a move will pass in the Security Council.
The West wants to expand sanctions, but there is no intention to place sanctions on the Iranian central bank or the Iranian energy industry, which is the main source of revenues for Iran. The U.S. could have already placed unilateral sanctions on the Iranian central bank and put it on the U.S. blacklist, but has not done so out of fears that such a move could spark a crisis in world fuel markets and worsen the global economic crisis.
In response to the reports, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has accused the IAEA of giving in to U.S. pressure to level the accusations, which he said were based on fabricated intelligence. "Iran has already responded to the alleged studies in 117 pages. We've said time and again that these are forgeries similar to faked notes," Salehi told reporters in Tehran.
As to a possible Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, all Western nations oppose such a unilateral move, including the U.S. They have also made this extremely clear to Israeli leaders in recent talks in past months.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has indicated that his country would come to Israel's aid if it was attacked, but said that if Israel decided to attack first that would be a different matter.
On Monday, or at the latest Wednesday, the director general of the United Nation's International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, will present his latest report on the Iranian nuclear program. The report will be officially presented to the representatives of 35 countries that compose the IAEA's Board of Governors.
The report is expected to reach the media after it is officially presented, and will determine in the harshest fashion that Iran has conducted a long list of activities, including field tests and computer simulations whose sole meaning is that Iran is attempting to acquire nuclear weapons. This report will be much harsher than any of the IAEA's reports on Iran that have appeared annually since 2003. But it is doubtful that the report will state clearly that Iran already has the capability to manufacture nuclear weapons.
The report's main importance is that it will emphasize that Iran has continued its various activities to produce nuclear weapons since 2004, and therefore the report will also invalidate the U.S. intelligence report from 2007 that stated Iran had stopped its work on nuclear weapons development in 2003.
The report lists a number of Iranian activities to produce the weapons, including tests to determine the strength of a nuclear blast, developing capabilities to produce such weapons and trials, tests and simulations - all in an attempt to reduce the size of nuclear weapons so they could be mounted on a missile warhead. Most of the tests were conducted in a military base in Parchin, about 30 kilometers from Tehran, the report will state. Since this is a military base, IAEA inspectors have no authority to visit or inspect the site.
About a week after the report is presented, the Board of Governors will meet to discuss it. The U.S. and other Western nations will demand that the UN Security Council meet and introduce stricter, more effective and more painful sanctions against Iran in response to the report. But Russia and China, who are trying up to the very last moment to soften the report, object to further sanctions and it is doubtful such a move will pass in the Security Council.
The West wants to expand sanctions, but there is no intention to place sanctions on the Iranian central bank or the Iranian energy industry, which is the main source of revenues for Iran. The U.S. could have already placed unilateral sanctions on the Iranian central bank and put it on the U.S. blacklist, but has not done so out of fears that such a move could spark a crisis in world fuel markets and worsen the global economic crisis.
In response to the reports, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has accused the IAEA of giving in to U.S. pressure to level the accusations, which he said were based on fabricated intelligence. "Iran has already responded to the alleged studies in 117 pages. We've said time and again that these are forgeries similar to faked notes," Salehi told reporters in Tehran.
As to a possible Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, all Western nations oppose such a unilateral move, including the U.S. They have also made this extremely clear to Israeli leaders in recent talks in past months.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has indicated that his country would come to Israel's aid if it was attacked, but said that if Israel decided to attack first that would be a different matter.
U.S. presidential hopeful Ron Paul: 'Friendship' is best way to deal with Iran
The libertarian Texas congressman says Iran's nuclear weapons program has been 'blown out of proportion' and that tougher sanctions are a mistake.
Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul says "offering friendship" to Iran, not sanctions, would be a more fruitful way to deal with Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions.
The libertarian-leaning Texas congressman, a longshot in the presidential campaign, said Sunday that Iran's nuclear weapons program has been "blown out of proportion." He said tough sanctions are a mistake, because in the case of Iraq, they only hurt the local population and still paved a path to war.
When asked on "Fox News Sunday" what he would do to deter Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions, Paul said "maybe offering friendship to them."
Paul's remarks put him at odds with both the Bush and Obama administrations; U.S. policy has relied heavily on sanctions and diplomacy to try to convince Tehran to abandon its atomic program. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful.
Earlier on Sunday, a senior Iranian cleric dismissed talk of a military strike by Israel as empty propaganda, taunting it for screaming "like a cornered cat" rather than "roaring like a lion".
Israeli media have speculated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking cabinet consensus to attack Iranian nuclear sites as Western diplomats say new evidence that Tehran researching ways to build atom bombs will be published this week.
Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul says "offering friendship" to Iran, not sanctions, would be a more fruitful way to deal with Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions.
The libertarian-leaning Texas congressman, a longshot in the presidential campaign, said Sunday that Iran's nuclear weapons program has been "blown out of proportion." He said tough sanctions are a mistake, because in the case of Iraq, they only hurt the local population and still paved a path to war.
When asked on "Fox News Sunday" what he would do to deter Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions, Paul said "maybe offering friendship to them."
Paul's remarks put him at odds with both the Bush and Obama administrations; U.S. policy has relied heavily on sanctions and diplomacy to try to convince Tehran to abandon its atomic program. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful.
Earlier on Sunday, a senior Iranian cleric dismissed talk of a military strike by Israel as empty propaganda, taunting it for screaming "like a cornered cat" rather than "roaring like a lion".
Israeli media have speculated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking cabinet consensus to attack Iranian nuclear sites as Western diplomats say new evidence that Tehran researching ways to build atom bombs will be published this week.
Israel government denies cyber-attack, says malfunction brought down websites
Websites of IDF, Mossad, Shin Bet security service and government ministries crash following hacking group's threat to retaliate for Gaza flotilla interception.
The Israeli government denied on Sunday that a cyber-attack was the reason several websites went down, including those of the IDF, Mossad, Shin Bet security service and government ministries. IDF spokesman said there was most likely a malfunction with the servers.
The government Facebook page posted a message saying: "Due to a systematic malfunction of the (government website system's) servers, some of the government websites and services have not been accessible in the last few hours." Carmela Avner, head of the government website system, said that "this is a technical problem that is being handled by all relevant means and all resources are being used …to fix the problem."
The websites' crash came after the international cabal of hackers known as Anonymous threatened a cyber-attack on the Israeli government's computers in response to its interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla on Friday.
In a video that was uploaded to YouTube, Anonymous warns that if the siege on Gaza is maintained, it will have no choice but to go on the attack.
Anonymous said that if the siege continues and Israeli forces intercept additional flotillas, or if they conduct additional operations such as the commandeering of the Mavi Marmara, it will have no alternative but to launch repeated cyber-attacks on Israeli computer systems until the siege ends.
The Israeli government denied on Sunday that a cyber-attack was the reason several websites went down, including those of the IDF, Mossad, Shin Bet security service and government ministries. IDF spokesman said there was most likely a malfunction with the servers.
The government Facebook page posted a message saying: "Due to a systematic malfunction of the (government website system's) servers, some of the government websites and services have not been accessible in the last few hours." Carmela Avner, head of the government website system, said that "this is a technical problem that is being handled by all relevant means and all resources are being used …to fix the problem."
The websites' crash came after the international cabal of hackers known as Anonymous threatened a cyber-attack on the Israeli government's computers in response to its interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla on Friday.
In a video that was uploaded to YouTube, Anonymous warns that if the siege on Gaza is maintained, it will have no choice but to go on the attack.
Anonymous said that if the siege continues and Israeli forces intercept additional flotillas, or if they conduct additional operations such as the commandeering of the Mavi Marmara, it will have no alternative but to launch repeated cyber-attacks on Israeli computer systems until the siege ends.
Israel government, security services websites down in suspected cyber-attack
Attack follows threat by hacking group Anonymous in response to interception of Gaza flotilla; websites of IDF, Mossad and government ministries among crashed websites.
Several Israeli government websites crashed on Sunday in what appeared to be a cyber-attack by hackers. The websites of the IDF, Mossad and the Shin Bet security services were among the sites that went down, as well as several government portals and ministries.
The apparent attack comes after the international cabal of hackers known as Anonymous threatened a cyber-attack on the Israeli government's computers in response to its interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla on Friday.
The IDF and Shin Bet said they were investigating the reason for the malfunction. Security officials stressed that only the external government sites crashed, and that the internal computer networks were unharmed.
In a video that was uploaded to YouTube, Anonymous warns that if the siege on Gaza is maintained, it will have no choice but to go on the attack.
Anonymous said that if the siege continues and Israeli forces intercept additional flotillas, or if they conduct additional operations such as the commandeering of the Mavi Marmara, it will have no alternative but to launch repeated cyber-attacks on Israeli computer systems until the siege ends.
Several Israeli government websites crashed on Sunday in what appeared to be a cyber-attack by hackers. The websites of the IDF, Mossad and the Shin Bet security services were among the sites that went down, as well as several government portals and ministries.
The apparent attack comes after the international cabal of hackers known as Anonymous threatened a cyber-attack on the Israeli government's computers in response to its interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla on Friday.
The IDF and Shin Bet said they were investigating the reason for the malfunction. Security officials stressed that only the external government sites crashed, and that the internal computer networks were unharmed.
In a video that was uploaded to YouTube, Anonymous warns that if the siege on Gaza is maintained, it will have no choice but to go on the attack.
Anonymous said that if the siege continues and Israeli forces intercept additional flotillas, or if they conduct additional operations such as the commandeering of the Mavi Marmara, it will have no alternative but to launch repeated cyber-attacks on Israeli computer systems until the siege ends.
Nov 3, 2011
Report: Netanyahu ordered Shin Bet to investigate leaks on Iran attack
According to Kuwaiti al-Jarida newspaper, Israeli sources say former Mossad and Shin Bet chiefs are behind leaks.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen to begin investigating the information recently leaked to the media regarding Israel's preparations for a military offensive against Iran's nuclear facilities, the Kuwaiti al-Jarida newspaper reported Thursday.
According to the report, former Mossad chief Meir Dagan and former Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin are those responsible for leaking information to the media regarding an attack on Iran.
"The two recruited prominent journalists in Israel and disclosed false information in order to politically harm Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak," the newspaper quoted an Israeli source.
According to the source, Diskin wanted revenge for not receiving the post of Mossad chief and Dagan was disgruntled since his term as Mossad chief was not extended.
The newspaper also quotes a source in the Prime Minister's Office who claims opposition head Tzipi Livni was also recruited to the media campaign in order to accuse Netanyahu and Barak of harming national interests. The goal of the media campaign, according to the source, is to prevent an attack on Iran and to remove Netanyahu from the prime minister's post.
The report also quotes an Israeli source claiming Israel's plan for a military offensive on Iran's nuclear facilities has moved ahead from discussion stage to the preparation stage.
"This fact pushed those opposing the move to leak the details to the press and to effectively foil the operation," the Israeli source told the newspaper.
No reporter is signed off on the report, but the newspaper has published similar reports about leaks in Israel's Prime Minister's Office in the past which turned out to be true.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen to begin investigating the information recently leaked to the media regarding Israel's preparations for a military offensive against Iran's nuclear facilities, the Kuwaiti al-Jarida newspaper reported Thursday.
According to the report, former Mossad chief Meir Dagan and former Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin are those responsible for leaking information to the media regarding an attack on Iran.
"The two recruited prominent journalists in Israel and disclosed false information in order to politically harm Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak," the newspaper quoted an Israeli source.
According to the source, Diskin wanted revenge for not receiving the post of Mossad chief and Dagan was disgruntled since his term as Mossad chief was not extended.
The newspaper also quotes a source in the Prime Minister's Office who claims opposition head Tzipi Livni was also recruited to the media campaign in order to accuse Netanyahu and Barak of harming national interests. The goal of the media campaign, according to the source, is to prevent an attack on Iran and to remove Netanyahu from the prime minister's post.
The report also quotes an Israeli source claiming Israel's plan for a military offensive on Iran's nuclear facilities has moved ahead from discussion stage to the preparation stage.
"This fact pushed those opposing the move to leak the details to the press and to effectively foil the operation," the Israeli source told the newspaper.
No reporter is signed off on the report, but the newspaper has published similar reports about leaks in Israel's Prime Minister's Office in the past which turned out to be true.
Obama says pressure must be maintained on Iran
Ahead of the IAEA report next week, U.S. president says pressure must be put on Iran to meet its obligations.
U.S. President Barack Obama said he and French President Nicolas Sarkozy agreed during talks on Thursday on the need for pressure to be maintained on Iran over its nuclear program.
"We had the opportunity to talk about a range of security issues," Obama told reporters following talks with Sarkozy ahead of a G20 heads of state summit in the French resort of Cannes.
"One in particular that I want to mention is the continuing threat posed by Iran's nuclear program. The IAEA is scheduled to release a report on Iran's nuclear program next week and President Sarkozy and I agree on the need to maintain the unprecedented pressure on Iran to meet its obligations."
In Israel, recent reports have indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have been trying to muster a majority in the cabinet in favor of military action against Iran. According to a Haaretz poll conducted Wednesday, Israelis are evenly split over attacking Iran.
U.S. President Barack Obama said he and French President Nicolas Sarkozy agreed during talks on Thursday on the need for pressure to be maintained on Iran over its nuclear program.
"We had the opportunity to talk about a range of security issues," Obama told reporters following talks with Sarkozy ahead of a G20 heads of state summit in the French resort of Cannes.
"One in particular that I want to mention is the continuing threat posed by Iran's nuclear program. The IAEA is scheduled to release a report on Iran's nuclear program next week and President Sarkozy and I agree on the need to maintain the unprecedented pressure on Iran to meet its obligations."
In Israel, recent reports have indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have been trying to muster a majority in the cabinet in favor of military action against Iran. According to a Haaretz poll conducted Wednesday, Israelis are evenly split over attacking Iran.
International pressure on Iran rising, from media leaks to military exercises
Israel's government and the international community remain divided over whether or not to attack Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
It's hard to believe, but for 24 hours there hasn't been a single controversial statement by a single Israeli official regarding the possibility of attacking Iran. Nothing. Nada. Either our politicians finally came to their senses, or they've simply run out of things to say after a week of nonstop talk.
When Israel falls silent, attention turns to what the rest of the world is saying. The most important statement yesterday came from U.S. President Barack Obama. After a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Obama said the two "agreed on the need to maintain the unprecedented international pressure on Iran to meet its obligations."
To some extent, Obama's statement provides the missing piece of the puzzle of the past few days. His statement must be seen against the background of Wednesday's report by British newspaper The Guardian, which said that London was preparing for a possible military strike on Iran, and of the recent spate of leaks from Israel about a dispute among senior officials over whether the time for such a strike is near.
The picture that is emerging is, in all likelihood, as follows: Israel's government remains divided over whether to attack Iran, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak support the idea in principle. Israel apparently switched to intensive muscle-flexing. It seems that a recent spate of well-publicized activity such as media leaks, was aimed at upping the pressure on Tehran, and above all, on the international community, which will discuss the latest International Atomic Energy Agency report on Iran's nuclear program next week.
The threat of Israeli military action increases the chances of the world taking a firm stand on the Iranian issue. It is possible, for instance, that the Security Council will now discuss imposing new, harsher sanctions on Tehran. With this in mind, it's interesting to note that the crude Israeli hints about military action over the past week haven't elicited the slightest objection from either Washington or London.
Yesterday, Kuwaiti newspaper Al Jarida reported that Netanyahu had ordered the Shin Bet security service to investigate the recent leaks on the Iranian issue. Somehow, over the last two years, the Kuwaiti press has become the Israeli establishment's preferred channel for leaks on sensitive subjects (including investigations of such leaks ). Indeed, it seems the Prime Minister's Bureau has often been the source of these leaks itself.
So here's a safe bet: Chances are high that the Shin Bet investigation, if it takes place at all, will hit a dead end. The reason is simple. Over the past few weeks, there is virtually not a single senior Israeli official, current or former, who hasn't taken part, whether openly or off the record, in media discussions about Iran. So, if Netanyahu really wants to delve into the matter, he's liable to discover that he needs to fire half his cabinet - possibly even including himself.
It's hard to believe, but for 24 hours there hasn't been a single controversial statement by a single Israeli official regarding the possibility of attacking Iran. Nothing. Nada. Either our politicians finally came to their senses, or they've simply run out of things to say after a week of nonstop talk.
When Israel falls silent, attention turns to what the rest of the world is saying. The most important statement yesterday came from U.S. President Barack Obama. After a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Obama said the two "agreed on the need to maintain the unprecedented international pressure on Iran to meet its obligations."
To some extent, Obama's statement provides the missing piece of the puzzle of the past few days. His statement must be seen against the background of Wednesday's report by British newspaper The Guardian, which said that London was preparing for a possible military strike on Iran, and of the recent spate of leaks from Israel about a dispute among senior officials over whether the time for such a strike is near.
The picture that is emerging is, in all likelihood, as follows: Israel's government remains divided over whether to attack Iran, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak support the idea in principle. Israel apparently switched to intensive muscle-flexing. It seems that a recent spate of well-publicized activity such as media leaks, was aimed at upping the pressure on Tehran, and above all, on the international community, which will discuss the latest International Atomic Energy Agency report on Iran's nuclear program next week.
The threat of Israeli military action increases the chances of the world taking a firm stand on the Iranian issue. It is possible, for instance, that the Security Council will now discuss imposing new, harsher sanctions on Tehran. With this in mind, it's interesting to note that the crude Israeli hints about military action over the past week haven't elicited the slightest objection from either Washington or London.
Yesterday, Kuwaiti newspaper Al Jarida reported that Netanyahu had ordered the Shin Bet security service to investigate the recent leaks on the Iranian issue. Somehow, over the last two years, the Kuwaiti press has become the Israeli establishment's preferred channel for leaks on sensitive subjects (including investigations of such leaks ). Indeed, it seems the Prime Minister's Bureau has often been the source of these leaks itself.
So here's a safe bet: Chances are high that the Shin Bet investigation, if it takes place at all, will hit a dead end. The reason is simple. Over the past few weeks, there is virtually not a single senior Israeli official, current or former, who hasn't taken part, whether openly or off the record, in media discussions about Iran. So, if Netanyahu really wants to delve into the matter, he's liable to discover that he needs to fire half his cabinet - possibly even including himself.
Israel freezes UNESCO funding after Palestinian membership
Netanyahu decides to hold $2 million Israel transfers to UN cultural body yearly; Israel decided Tuesday to expedite settlement building in West Bank in response to PA's UNESCO membership.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided Thursday to freeze funding to UNESCO after it had granted the Palestinians membership on Monday.
Israel transfers some $2 million to the UN cultural body yearly. A source in the Prime Minister's Office said that Netanyahu instructed to transfer those funds to initiatives working toward regional cooperation.
Netanyahu's decision came after a recommendation by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz.
"These moves, such as accepting the Palestinians into UNESCO, will not advance peace but will only drive it farther away," Netanyahu said. "The only way to reach peace is through direct negotiations without preconditions."
On Tuesday, Netanyahu and his forum of eight senior ministers decided to expedite settlement construction in the West Bank as a part of wider sanctions Israel decided to impose on the Palestinian Authority after UNESCO granted it membership on Monday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided Thursday to freeze funding to UNESCO after it had granted the Palestinians membership on Monday.
Israel transfers some $2 million to the UN cultural body yearly. A source in the Prime Minister's Office said that Netanyahu instructed to transfer those funds to initiatives working toward regional cooperation.
Netanyahu's decision came after a recommendation by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz.
"These moves, such as accepting the Palestinians into UNESCO, will not advance peace but will only drive it farther away," Netanyahu said. "The only way to reach peace is through direct negotiations without preconditions."
On Tuesday, Netanyahu and his forum of eight senior ministers decided to expedite settlement construction in the West Bank as a part of wider sanctions Israel decided to impose on the Palestinian Authority after UNESCO granted it membership on Monday.
Flotilla organizers to Haaretz: We expect to reach Gaza in two days
Canadian activist Ehab Lotayef says two-vessel flotilla is 'halfway to Gaza'; says 'there will be no violence from our side' in dealing with Israel Defense Forces.
Ehab Lotayef, one of the Canadian organizers of the Gaza-bound flotilla that set sail from Turkey on Wednesday, says that the ship is "halfway to Gaza" and expects to arrive at its destination "within the next two days."
Speaking with Haaretz via satellite phone on board the "Tahrir," Lotayef said that the activists had not yet been contacted by the Israel Defense Forces, and that they are still contemplating their strategy.
"We might speed u a bit, we might slow down a little, but there will be no violence from our side," he said.
The activists are aware that the IDF plans to intercept the two vessels that are heading for Gaza.
"We've heard from the press they are planning to stop us, but we are determined to reach Gaza, and we are going to do our best to reach it in a non-violent confrontation way," he said.
"I don't have illusions that our mission will end all the problems tomorrow, but we are using any tool to call attention to the suffering of people in Gaza. We didn't come to fight with the Israeli army, we came to deliver a clear message: the blockade of Gaza is illegal and inhumane. It should end." Lotayef added.
When asked about the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, he said, "our mission is totally separate from the cycle of violence. Our view is that violence against civilians is unacceptable in all cases. We still believe the blockade needs to be lifted, and that for many decades Israel refused to grant Palestinians their basic rights."
Lotayef added that sailing conditions are not ideal, and that the sea is not "totally smooth," but that everybody on board is well, and that any hardship they might experience is nothing in comparison to the conditions of the "open-sky prison" of Gaza.
The Israeli Navy started tracking the two-vessel ships flotilla to Gaza on Wednesday.
According to information obtained by security services, the two ships left Turkey after announcing their intentions to sale to Rhodes. There is no information presently that indicates Turkish involvement in the flotilla.
The passengers on the two ships - a small ship named "Al-Tahrir" and a yacht named "the Saoirse" are believed to be activists in two pro-Palestinian organizations from Ireland and Canada.
According to IDF estimates, judging by the speed of the ships and the conditions at sea, the IDF estimates that the ships will arrive in Gaza between Thursday night and early Friday morning.
The first Gaza flotilla set sail from Turkey in May 2010. The six-vessel convoy had the intention of breaking through a comprehensive blockade Israel had placed on the coastal territory. The most recent flotilla attempt in July 2011 did not reach Gaza shores.
Ehab Lotayef, one of the Canadian organizers of the Gaza-bound flotilla that set sail from Turkey on Wednesday, says that the ship is "halfway to Gaza" and expects to arrive at its destination "within the next two days."
Speaking with Haaretz via satellite phone on board the "Tahrir," Lotayef said that the activists had not yet been contacted by the Israel Defense Forces, and that they are still contemplating their strategy.
"We might speed u a bit, we might slow down a little, but there will be no violence from our side," he said.
The activists are aware that the IDF plans to intercept the two vessels that are heading for Gaza.
"We've heard from the press they are planning to stop us, but we are determined to reach Gaza, and we are going to do our best to reach it in a non-violent confrontation way," he said.
"I don't have illusions that our mission will end all the problems tomorrow, but we are using any tool to call attention to the suffering of people in Gaza. We didn't come to fight with the Israeli army, we came to deliver a clear message: the blockade of Gaza is illegal and inhumane. It should end." Lotayef added.
When asked about the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, he said, "our mission is totally separate from the cycle of violence. Our view is that violence against civilians is unacceptable in all cases. We still believe the blockade needs to be lifted, and that for many decades Israel refused to grant Palestinians their basic rights."
Lotayef added that sailing conditions are not ideal, and that the sea is not "totally smooth," but that everybody on board is well, and that any hardship they might experience is nothing in comparison to the conditions of the "open-sky prison" of Gaza.
The Israeli Navy started tracking the two-vessel ships flotilla to Gaza on Wednesday.
According to information obtained by security services, the two ships left Turkey after announcing their intentions to sale to Rhodes. There is no information presently that indicates Turkish involvement in the flotilla.
The passengers on the two ships - a small ship named "Al-Tahrir" and a yacht named "the Saoirse" are believed to be activists in two pro-Palestinian organizations from Ireland and Canada.
According to IDF estimates, judging by the speed of the ships and the conditions at sea, the IDF estimates that the ships will arrive in Gaza between Thursday night and early Friday morning.
The first Gaza flotilla set sail from Turkey in May 2010. The six-vessel convoy had the intention of breaking through a comprehensive blockade Israel had placed on the coastal territory. The most recent flotilla attempt in July 2011 did not reach Gaza shores.
Republican Perry would back Israel strike on Iran nuclear sites
Texas governor tells CNN he would support covert and overt military attacks in order to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability.
Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry said on Thursday that as president he would support an Israeli air strike on Iran if there is proof Tehran is moving closer to having a nuclear weapon.
"Obviously, we are going to support Israel. And I've said that we will support Israel in every way that we can, whether it's diplomatic, whether it's economic sanctions, whether it's overt or covert operations, up to and including military action," the Texas governor said in an interview on CNN.
"We cannot afford to allow that madman in Iran to get his hands on a nuclear weapon period," Perry added.
A UN International Atomic Energy Agency report due next week is expected to unveil new details about the military side of Iran's nuclear program, while stopping short of explicitly saying Tehran is trying to build such weapons. Iran insists its program is for generating electricity.
Perry's campaign has been slipping after swiftly rising to the top of opinion polls when he entered the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination in August.
Illegal immigration is a hot-button issue in the Republican party, and wavering from staunch opposition can lessen chances of success in the fight to become the nominee, as conservative party members play an outsized role in the nomination process.
Perry, who was campaigning in Johnston, Iowa, downplayed his slide in the polls, suggesting that he was not paying a lot of attention to the numbers.
"I know how to run an election, I know how to take the message to the people and that's what we going to keep doing," Perry said. "So, we will stay focused, we will stay on message, and the end of the day, it will all turn out just right."
Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry said on Thursday that as president he would support an Israeli air strike on Iran if there is proof Tehran is moving closer to having a nuclear weapon.
"Obviously, we are going to support Israel. And I've said that we will support Israel in every way that we can, whether it's diplomatic, whether it's economic sanctions, whether it's overt or covert operations, up to and including military action," the Texas governor said in an interview on CNN.
"We cannot afford to allow that madman in Iran to get his hands on a nuclear weapon period," Perry added.
A UN International Atomic Energy Agency report due next week is expected to unveil new details about the military side of Iran's nuclear program, while stopping short of explicitly saying Tehran is trying to build such weapons. Iran insists its program is for generating electricity.
Perry's campaign has been slipping after swiftly rising to the top of opinion polls when he entered the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination in August.
Illegal immigration is a hot-button issue in the Republican party, and wavering from staunch opposition can lessen chances of success in the fight to become the nominee, as conservative party members play an outsized role in the nomination process.
Perry, who was campaigning in Johnston, Iowa, downplayed his slide in the polls, suggesting that he was not paying a lot of attention to the numbers.
"I know how to run an election, I know how to take the message to the people and that's what we going to keep doing," Perry said. "So, we will stay focused, we will stay on message, and the end of the day, it will all turn out just right."
Obama, Sarkozy agree international pressure on Iran must continue
White House says upcoming nuclear watchdog report will be a critical opportunity for the world to see if Iran is meeting international obligations in its nuclear program.
A report due next week from the IAEA nuclear watchdog will be an important opportunity for the world to assess whether Iran is meeting international obligations in its nuclear program, the White House said on Thursday.
Earlier, U.S. President Barack Obama said he had discussed his concerns about Iran and its nuclear program with French President Nicolas Sarkozy ahead of the G20 summit, and both had agreed that international pressure must be maintained on Iran.
"The IAEA is scheduled to release a report on Iran's nuclear program next week and President Sarkozy and I agree on the need to maintain the unprecedented pressure on Iran to meet its obligations," he told reporters.
The United States and its partners are concerned that Iran's nuclear program is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon capability. Tehran says the program is peaceful and is aimed at producing energy and for medical purposes.
Western opponents of Tehran hope the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report will make a firm assessment that it believes Iran is working to develop a nuclear weapon; but it is not clear if it will go that far.
Relations between Tehran and Washington have been under additional strain since U.S. officials last month announced an alleged Iranian plot, which Tehran denies, to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States.
Obama warned at the time that Iran would suffer the "toughest possible" sanctions as a consequence and the White House cast Obama's discussion as part of that effort.
"What we're focused on is a diplomatic strategy which... increases the pressure on the Iranians, through financial pressure, through economic sanctions, through diplomatic isolation," said White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, in response to a question about military options toward Iran."
A report due next week from the IAEA nuclear watchdog will be an important opportunity for the world to assess whether Iran is meeting international obligations in its nuclear program, the White House said on Thursday.
Earlier, U.S. President Barack Obama said he had discussed his concerns about Iran and its nuclear program with French President Nicolas Sarkozy ahead of the G20 summit, and both had agreed that international pressure must be maintained on Iran.
"The IAEA is scheduled to release a report on Iran's nuclear program next week and President Sarkozy and I agree on the need to maintain the unprecedented pressure on Iran to meet its obligations," he told reporters.
The United States and its partners are concerned that Iran's nuclear program is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon capability. Tehran says the program is peaceful and is aimed at producing energy and for medical purposes.
Western opponents of Tehran hope the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report will make a firm assessment that it believes Iran is working to develop a nuclear weapon; but it is not clear if it will go that far.
Relations between Tehran and Washington have been under additional strain since U.S. officials last month announced an alleged Iranian plot, which Tehran denies, to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States.
Obama warned at the time that Iran would suffer the "toughest possible" sanctions as a consequence and the White House cast Obama's discussion as part of that effort.
"What we're focused on is a diplomatic strategy which... increases the pressure on the Iranians, through financial pressure, through economic sanctions, through diplomatic isolation," said White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, in response to a question about military options toward Iran."
Nov 1, 2011
Netanyahu trying to persuade cabinet to support attack on Iran
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who previously objected to attacking Iran, was recently persuaded by Netanyahu and Barak to support such a move.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are trying to muster a majority in the cabinet in favor of military action against Iran, a senior Israeli official has said. According to the official, there is a "small advantage" in the cabinet for the opponents of such an attack.
Netanyahu and Barak recently persuaded Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who previously objected to attacking Iran, to support such a move.
Although more than a million Israelis have had to seek shelter during a week of rockets raining down on the south, political leaders have diverted their attention to arguing over a possible war with Iran. Leading ministers were publicly dropping hints on Tuesday that Israeli could attack Iran, although a member of the forum of eight senior ministers said no such decision had been taken.
Senior ministers and diplomats said the International Atomic Energy Agency's report, due to be released on November 8, will have a decisive effect on the decisions Israel makes.
The commotion regarding Iran was sparked by journalist Nahum Barnea's column in Yedioth Ahronoth last Friday. Barnea's concerned tone and his editors' decision to run the column under the main headline ("Atomic Pressure" ) repositioned the debate on Iran from closed rooms to the media's front pages.
Reporters could suddenly ask the prime minister and defense minister whether they intend to attack Iran in the near future and the political scene went haywire.
Western intelligence officials agree that Iran is forging ahead with its nuclear program. Intelligence services now say it will take Iran two or three years to get the bomb once it decides to (it hasn't made the decision yet ).
According to Western experts' analyses, an attack on Iran in winter is almost impossible, because the thick clouds would obstruct the Israel Air Force's performance.
Netanyahu did not rule out the possibility of the need for a military action on Iran this week. During his Knesset address on Monday, Netanyahu warned of Iran's increased power and influence. "One of those regional powers is Iran, which is continuing its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. A nuclear Iran would constitute a grave threat to the Middle East and the entire world, and of course it is a direct and grave threat on us," he said.
Barak said Israel should not be intimidated but did not rule out the possibility that Israel would launch a military attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. "I object to intimidation and saying Israel could be destroyed by Iran," he said.
"We're not hiding our thoughts. However there are issues we don't discuss in public ... We have to act in every way possible and no options should be taken off the table ... I believe diplomatic pressure and sanctions must be brought to bear against Iran," he said.
Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon said he preferred an American military attack on Iran to an Israeli one. "A military move is the last resort," he said.
Interior Minister Eli Yishai has not made his mind up yet on the issue. In a speech to Shas activists in the north on Monday Yishai said "this is a complicated time and it's better not to talk about how complicated it is. This possible action is keeping me awake at night. Imagine we're [attacked] from the north, south and center. They have short-range and long-range missiles - we believe they have about 100,000 rockets and missiles."
Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Dan Meridor said he supports an American move against Iran. In an interview to the Walla! website some two weeks ago Meridor said "It's clear to all that a nuclear Iran is a grave danger and the whole world, led by the United States, must make constant efforts to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The Iranians already have more than four tons of 3-4 percent enriched uranium and 70 kgs. of 20 percent enriched uranium. It's clear to us they are continuing to make missiles. Iran's nuclearization is not only a threat to Israel but to several other Western states, and the international interest must unite here."
Former Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said he feared a "horror scenario" in which Netanyahu and Barak decide to attack Iran. He warned of a "rash act" and said he hoped "common sense will prevail."
On Tuesday, Barak said at the Knesset's Finance Committee that the state budget must be increased by NIS 7-8 a year for five years to fulfill Israel's security needs and answer the social protest. "The situation requires expanding the budget to enable us to act in a responsible way regarding the defense budget considering the challenges, as well as fulfill some of the demands coming from the Trajtenberg committee," he said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are trying to muster a majority in the cabinet in favor of military action against Iran, a senior Israeli official has said. According to the official, there is a "small advantage" in the cabinet for the opponents of such an attack.
Netanyahu and Barak recently persuaded Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who previously objected to attacking Iran, to support such a move.
Although more than a million Israelis have had to seek shelter during a week of rockets raining down on the south, political leaders have diverted their attention to arguing over a possible war with Iran. Leading ministers were publicly dropping hints on Tuesday that Israeli could attack Iran, although a member of the forum of eight senior ministers said no such decision had been taken.
Senior ministers and diplomats said the International Atomic Energy Agency's report, due to be released on November 8, will have a decisive effect on the decisions Israel makes.
The commotion regarding Iran was sparked by journalist Nahum Barnea's column in Yedioth Ahronoth last Friday. Barnea's concerned tone and his editors' decision to run the column under the main headline ("Atomic Pressure" ) repositioned the debate on Iran from closed rooms to the media's front pages.
Reporters could suddenly ask the prime minister and defense minister whether they intend to attack Iran in the near future and the political scene went haywire.
Western intelligence officials agree that Iran is forging ahead with its nuclear program. Intelligence services now say it will take Iran two or three years to get the bomb once it decides to (it hasn't made the decision yet ).
According to Western experts' analyses, an attack on Iran in winter is almost impossible, because the thick clouds would obstruct the Israel Air Force's performance.
Netanyahu did not rule out the possibility of the need for a military action on Iran this week. During his Knesset address on Monday, Netanyahu warned of Iran's increased power and influence. "One of those regional powers is Iran, which is continuing its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. A nuclear Iran would constitute a grave threat to the Middle East and the entire world, and of course it is a direct and grave threat on us," he said.
Barak said Israel should not be intimidated but did not rule out the possibility that Israel would launch a military attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. "I object to intimidation and saying Israel could be destroyed by Iran," he said.
"We're not hiding our thoughts. However there are issues we don't discuss in public ... We have to act in every way possible and no options should be taken off the table ... I believe diplomatic pressure and sanctions must be brought to bear against Iran," he said.
Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon said he preferred an American military attack on Iran to an Israeli one. "A military move is the last resort," he said.
Interior Minister Eli Yishai has not made his mind up yet on the issue. In a speech to Shas activists in the north on Monday Yishai said "this is a complicated time and it's better not to talk about how complicated it is. This possible action is keeping me awake at night. Imagine we're [attacked] from the north, south and center. They have short-range and long-range missiles - we believe they have about 100,000 rockets and missiles."
Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Dan Meridor said he supports an American move against Iran. In an interview to the Walla! website some two weeks ago Meridor said "It's clear to all that a nuclear Iran is a grave danger and the whole world, led by the United States, must make constant efforts to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The Iranians already have more than four tons of 3-4 percent enriched uranium and 70 kgs. of 20 percent enriched uranium. It's clear to us they are continuing to make missiles. Iran's nuclearization is not only a threat to Israel but to several other Western states, and the international interest must unite here."
Former Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said he feared a "horror scenario" in which Netanyahu and Barak decide to attack Iran. He warned of a "rash act" and said he hoped "common sense will prevail."
On Tuesday, Barak said at the Knesset's Finance Committee that the state budget must be increased by NIS 7-8 a year for five years to fulfill Israel's security needs and answer the social protest. "The situation requires expanding the budget to enable us to act in a responsible way regarding the defense budget considering the challenges, as well as fulfill some of the demands coming from the Trajtenberg committee," he said.
Israel to expedite settlement construction in response to Palestinian UNESCO membership
Netanyahu and top ministers decide to impose sanctions on Palestinian Authority after it was accepted to UN cultural body; Palestinians slam decision as 'destructive to peace process' and 'inhumane.'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his forum of eight senior ministers decided Tuesday to initiate a new wave of settlement construction in the West Bank, as part of a wider set of sanctions Israel decided to impose on the Palestinian Authority after it was accepted to UNESCO as a member on Monday.
Netanyahu's office said Tuesday that the construction of 2,000 housing units planned in East Jerusalem, Gush Etzion, and Ma'aleh Adumim should be expedited.
"All of the mentioned areas are ones that would remain in Israeli control under any future peace agreement," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
The eight senior ministers also decided to suspend the transfer of tax money which Israel has collected for the Palestinian Authority in October. The money, which amounts to more than NIS 300 million, was supposed to be transferred to the Palestinian Authority before the Eid al-Adha holiday, when the money was to be used to pay the salaries of policemen and clerks of the Palestinian Authority.
During Tuesday's discussion, an argument erupted between Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and Defense Minister Ehud Barak about whether to permanently halt the transfer of tax money to the PA. Barak maintained that halting the tax money transfer will jeopardize the future of the security coordination with the Palestinians in the West Bank, while Steinitz supported the move.
Moreover, the eight ministers also decided to no longer allow UNESCO missions into Israel, and to examine the possibility of revoking the VIP status of senior Palestinian officials which allows them to pass through checkpoints.
A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas responded to the decision on Tuesday, saying that Israel had decided "to speed up the destruction of the peace process" by deciding to accelerate the construction of settlements on land where the Palestinians aim to found an independent state.
Nabil Abu Rdainah also described as "inhumane" Israel's decision to temporarily halt transfers of funds to the Palestinian Authority.
On Monday, UNESCO accepted the Palestinian Authority as a full member of the organization.
In response, the U.S. decided to cut off funding to the UN cultural body. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Monday that since the vote triggered a long-standing congressional restriction on funding to UN bodies that recognize Palestine as a state before an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal is reached.
Following the vote on Palestinian membership, Israel also warned it will now reconsider its cooperation with UNESCO.
UNESCO is the first UN agency that the Palestinians sought to join as a full member since Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas applied for full membership of the United Nations on Sept. 23.
The motion to admit the Palestinians was passed at a UNESCO meeting in Paris, with 107 votes in favor, 14 against and 52 abstentions.
The United States, Canada and Germany voted against Palestinian membership. Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa and France voted in favor. Britain abstained.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his forum of eight senior ministers decided Tuesday to initiate a new wave of settlement construction in the West Bank, as part of a wider set of sanctions Israel decided to impose on the Palestinian Authority after it was accepted to UNESCO as a member on Monday.
Netanyahu's office said Tuesday that the construction of 2,000 housing units planned in East Jerusalem, Gush Etzion, and Ma'aleh Adumim should be expedited.
"All of the mentioned areas are ones that would remain in Israeli control under any future peace agreement," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
The eight senior ministers also decided to suspend the transfer of tax money which Israel has collected for the Palestinian Authority in October. The money, which amounts to more than NIS 300 million, was supposed to be transferred to the Palestinian Authority before the Eid al-Adha holiday, when the money was to be used to pay the salaries of policemen and clerks of the Palestinian Authority.
During Tuesday's discussion, an argument erupted between Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and Defense Minister Ehud Barak about whether to permanently halt the transfer of tax money to the PA. Barak maintained that halting the tax money transfer will jeopardize the future of the security coordination with the Palestinians in the West Bank, while Steinitz supported the move.
Moreover, the eight ministers also decided to no longer allow UNESCO missions into Israel, and to examine the possibility of revoking the VIP status of senior Palestinian officials which allows them to pass through checkpoints.
A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas responded to the decision on Tuesday, saying that Israel had decided "to speed up the destruction of the peace process" by deciding to accelerate the construction of settlements on land where the Palestinians aim to found an independent state.
Nabil Abu Rdainah also described as "inhumane" Israel's decision to temporarily halt transfers of funds to the Palestinian Authority.
On Monday, UNESCO accepted the Palestinian Authority as a full member of the organization.
In response, the U.S. decided to cut off funding to the UN cultural body. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Monday that since the vote triggered a long-standing congressional restriction on funding to UN bodies that recognize Palestine as a state before an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal is reached.
Following the vote on Palestinian membership, Israel also warned it will now reconsider its cooperation with UNESCO.
UNESCO is the first UN agency that the Palestinians sought to join as a full member since Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas applied for full membership of the United Nations on Sept. 23.
The motion to admit the Palestinians was passed at a UNESCO meeting in Paris, with 107 votes in favor, 14 against and 52 abstentions.
The United States, Canada and Germany voted against Palestinian membership. Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa and France voted in favor. Britain abstained.
Shin Bet closes East Jerusalem institutions suspected of being run by Hamas
According to intelligence collected by Israeli security forces, several civilian institutions in East Jerusalem are operated by Hamas officials.
The Shin Bet revealed Tuesday that it had closed down three institutions in East Jerusalem which they believed were connected to the Hamas movement in Gaza, according to intelligence it had collected.
The operation was carried out during the last days of October in cooperation with the Jerusalem Police, and was authorized by Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino.
The first institution to close down was a Jerusalem branch of Al-Quds Development which was run by the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, headed by Sheikh Ra'ad Salah. According to intelligence, the branch was run in cooperation with senior Hamas operatives who are citizens of East Jerusalem.
The second institution was the company Jobs without Borders. According to intelligence collected by the Shin Bet, the company was operated by Hamas and the company directors are Hamas officials, citizens of East Jerusalem.
Last, the security forces closed down the offices of Sa'ad, an educational development company in Kafr Aqab in northern East Jerusalem. According to the Shin Bet, the institution belongs to Hamas, which has been active in the neighborhood for more than a year and a half. The company's managers are prominent Hamas officials, also residents of East Jerusalem.
Israeli security forces have long been battling against alleged civilian institutions, which are actually funded and operated by Hamas. The Shin Bet claims that Hamas is aiming to take over the East Jerusalem street, as it did in Gaza, so for this reason it is working to erect civilian institutions which serve its goals.
The Shin Bet revealed Tuesday that it had closed down three institutions in East Jerusalem which they believed were connected to the Hamas movement in Gaza, according to intelligence it had collected.
The operation was carried out during the last days of October in cooperation with the Jerusalem Police, and was authorized by Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino.
The first institution to close down was a Jerusalem branch of Al-Quds Development which was run by the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, headed by Sheikh Ra'ad Salah. According to intelligence, the branch was run in cooperation with senior Hamas operatives who are citizens of East Jerusalem.
The second institution was the company Jobs without Borders. According to intelligence collected by the Shin Bet, the company was operated by Hamas and the company directors are Hamas officials, citizens of East Jerusalem.
Last, the security forces closed down the offices of Sa'ad, an educational development company in Kafr Aqab in northern East Jerusalem. According to the Shin Bet, the institution belongs to Hamas, which has been active in the neighborhood for more than a year and a half. The company's managers are prominent Hamas officials, also residents of East Jerusalem.
Israeli security forces have long been battling against alleged civilian institutions, which are actually funded and operated by Hamas. The Shin Bet claims that Hamas is aiming to take over the East Jerusalem street, as it did in Gaza, so for this reason it is working to erect civilian institutions which serve its goals.
Israel's PM office under fire for employing too many personal aides
Report released by State Comptroller's Office says failure to establish clear criteria allowed number of 'positions of personal trust' to increase six-fold between 1995-2010.
The number of personal aides and advisers employed by the Prime Minister's Office increased six-fold during the years 1995-2010 because the Civil Service Commission failed to establish clear criteria for these positions, said a report issued Tuesday by the State Comptroller's Office.
According to former Chief Justice Eliezer Goldberg, this was partly because the commissioner failed to effectively fulfill its role as a watchdog over the positions of personal aides in the prime minister's office.
According to Civil Service regulations, prime ministers, ministers and ministry directors-general are permitted to hire people to fill certain "positions of personal trust" without issuing a tender. The only restriction on these hirees is that they may not be integrated into the management echelons of the government ministry.
The report is shows that during these 15 years, which span seven governments and five prime ministers, the number of positions of personal trust in the Prime Minister's Office reached 53, while in only 10 of 48 cases were all the criteria permitting their employment without a tender fulfilled.
The report also revealed that there was a substantial increase in the number of "personal trust" positions among clerical workers approved between 1995-2005.
State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss criticized the prime ministers for taking on so many aides without considering whether there was a real need for them.
He also pointed an accusing finger at former Civil Service Commissioner Shmuel Hollander for wantonly approving the hiring of these assistants in contravention of the regulations that appeared in Civil Service circulars, and often without examining whether the aides were qualified for the positions they were filling.
In response to the report, the prime minister's office presented data in which it could be seen that, while the number of "positions of personal trust" significantly increased during the terms of previous prime ministers, during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current term the number decreased by six. However, Netanyahu was not completely disconnected from the rising figure. During his last term the number of "positions of personal trust" had increased by seven.
The prime minister's office announced it would set up a public committee to inquire into the structure of the office, including the employment of workers in "positions of personal trust".
The number of personal aides and advisers employed by the Prime Minister's Office increased six-fold during the years 1995-2010 because the Civil Service Commission failed to establish clear criteria for these positions, said a report issued Tuesday by the State Comptroller's Office.
According to former Chief Justice Eliezer Goldberg, this was partly because the commissioner failed to effectively fulfill its role as a watchdog over the positions of personal aides in the prime minister's office.
According to Civil Service regulations, prime ministers, ministers and ministry directors-general are permitted to hire people to fill certain "positions of personal trust" without issuing a tender. The only restriction on these hirees is that they may not be integrated into the management echelons of the government ministry.
The report is shows that during these 15 years, which span seven governments and five prime ministers, the number of positions of personal trust in the Prime Minister's Office reached 53, while in only 10 of 48 cases were all the criteria permitting their employment without a tender fulfilled.
The report also revealed that there was a substantial increase in the number of "personal trust" positions among clerical workers approved between 1995-2005.
State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss criticized the prime ministers for taking on so many aides without considering whether there was a real need for them.
He also pointed an accusing finger at former Civil Service Commissioner Shmuel Hollander for wantonly approving the hiring of these assistants in contravention of the regulations that appeared in Civil Service circulars, and often without examining whether the aides were qualified for the positions they were filling.
In response to the report, the prime minister's office presented data in which it could be seen that, while the number of "positions of personal trust" significantly increased during the terms of previous prime ministers, during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current term the number decreased by six. However, Netanyahu was not completely disconnected from the rising figure. During his last term the number of "positions of personal trust" had increased by seven.
The prime minister's office announced it would set up a public committee to inquire into the structure of the office, including the employment of workers in "positions of personal trust".
Oct 27, 2011
Kadima source: Livni undermined peace talks with Palestinians during Olmert's term
Two and a half years after ending their troubled relationship as prime minister and foreign minister, tensions have again flared between Olmert and Livni.
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's autobiography indicates that former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni undermined a potential peace agreement with the Palestinians during Ehud Olmert's term as prime minister, according to a senior Kadima source.
Two and a half years after ending their troubled relationship as prime minister and foreign minister, tensions have again flared between Olmert and Livni.
Rice's memoir, "No Higher Honor," will be published in the United States in the next few days. Extracts of the autobiography have already been published in the American media and on Haaretz's Internet site by Natasha Mozgovaya last week.
In one part, Rice writes that Livni told her not to be too impressed by Olmert's far-reaching proposal to the Palestinians since "he has no standing in Israel." Rice writes that it seemed to her that Livni had said similar things to the Palestinian side.
A senior Kadima source who read the two extracts said they indicate Livni had acted behind Olmert's back to undermine a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
The source said Livni made it clear to her interlocutors that Olmert, who was nearing the end of his tenure due to criminal investigations against him, had no public standing or the political ability to clinch such a far-reaching agreement in the cabinet and Knesset. She advised them to wait until she took over from him.
Officials and diplomats familiar with the feverish negotiations between November 2007, when the Annapolis conference was held, and December 2008, near the end of Olmert's government, told Haaretz on Thursday that Olmert's proposal was comprehensive, serious and thorough. They said the proposal, which has been published several times since then, was the result of dozens of meetings with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Livni, who conducted talks with Palestinian official Abu Ala, was not aware of all the details of Olmert's proposal.
Olmert briefed President George W. Bush and Rice on the details of his proposal, which included giving Jerusalem an international status and bringing around 5,000 Palestinian refugees into Israel.
When Livni learned of the proposal, from a Haaretz report in September 2008, she spoke out publicly against international control of the Old City and the return of a few thousand refugees to Israel.
Rice says in her book that Livni had urged her at their meetings not to accept Olmert's proposal.
On Thursday, Livni's bureau denied the statements she allegedly made. "When the proposal's details were reported by the media, American officials - I don't remember if it was Rice or somebody else - asked Livni for her opinion. Livni, faithful to her way of saying the same in private and in public, objected to returning refugees and to giving Jerusalem an international status," an aide said.
Livni's associates said that after Olmert had announced his resignation American officials, including Rice, asked many questions about his political status. This was one of the subjects Livni and Rice discussed.
Olmert's spokesman said: "The former prime minister did not know of any approach on Livni's part to the American administration or the Palestinians to foil reaching an agreement with the Palestinians. Olmert was surprised to read about it in recent reports about Rice's autobiography."
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's autobiography indicates that former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni undermined a potential peace agreement with the Palestinians during Ehud Olmert's term as prime minister, according to a senior Kadima source.
Two and a half years after ending their troubled relationship as prime minister and foreign minister, tensions have again flared between Olmert and Livni.
Rice's memoir, "No Higher Honor," will be published in the United States in the next few days. Extracts of the autobiography have already been published in the American media and on Haaretz's Internet site by Natasha Mozgovaya last week.
In one part, Rice writes that Livni told her not to be too impressed by Olmert's far-reaching proposal to the Palestinians since "he has no standing in Israel." Rice writes that it seemed to her that Livni had said similar things to the Palestinian side.
A senior Kadima source who read the two extracts said they indicate Livni had acted behind Olmert's back to undermine a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
The source said Livni made it clear to her interlocutors that Olmert, who was nearing the end of his tenure due to criminal investigations against him, had no public standing or the political ability to clinch such a far-reaching agreement in the cabinet and Knesset. She advised them to wait until she took over from him.
Officials and diplomats familiar with the feverish negotiations between November 2007, when the Annapolis conference was held, and December 2008, near the end of Olmert's government, told Haaretz on Thursday that Olmert's proposal was comprehensive, serious and thorough. They said the proposal, which has been published several times since then, was the result of dozens of meetings with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Livni, who conducted talks with Palestinian official Abu Ala, was not aware of all the details of Olmert's proposal.
Olmert briefed President George W. Bush and Rice on the details of his proposal, which included giving Jerusalem an international status and bringing around 5,000 Palestinian refugees into Israel.
When Livni learned of the proposal, from a Haaretz report in September 2008, she spoke out publicly against international control of the Old City and the return of a few thousand refugees to Israel.
Rice says in her book that Livni had urged her at their meetings not to accept Olmert's proposal.
On Thursday, Livni's bureau denied the statements she allegedly made. "When the proposal's details were reported by the media, American officials - I don't remember if it was Rice or somebody else - asked Livni for her opinion. Livni, faithful to her way of saying the same in private and in public, objected to returning refugees and to giving Jerusalem an international status," an aide said.
Livni's associates said that after Olmert had announced his resignation American officials, including Rice, asked many questions about his political status. This was one of the subjects Livni and Rice discussed.
Olmert's spokesman said: "The former prime minister did not know of any approach on Livni's part to the American administration or the Palestinians to foil reaching an agreement with the Palestinians. Olmert was surprised to read about it in recent reports about Rice's autobiography."
Palestinians file complaint with UN Security Council over Lieberman 'incitement'
PA says Israel's Foreign Minister's remarks calling President Abbas the 'biggest obstacle' to peace constitute a clear threat against his life.
The Palestinian Authority has filed a complaint with the United Nations Security Council over the 'incitement' by Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
The complaint cites an article published by Haaretz on Monday, in which Lieberman was quoted as saying that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is the "greatest obstacle" to regional order, and that it would be a "blessing" if the Palestinian leader were to resign.
"If there is one obstacle that should be removed immediately, it is [Abbas]," he said. "If he were to return the keys and resign, it would not be a threat, but a blessing."
The letter submitted on Tuesday to the Security Council states that "we unequivocally reject and object to such incitement, which we consider to be a clear threat against the life of President Mahmoud Abbas, whose commitment to peace is absolutely unquestionable."
The letter also refers to Israeli settlement construction, planned construction in Israel and the separation wall.
In a letter sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Tuesday, the PA's minister of civilian affairs, Hussein a-Sheikh, demanded that the Israeli government issue a formal apology for the FM's comments, saying that they represented a direct threat to Abbas's life.
"In the name of the Palestinian Authority, we condemn the statements made by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, which carry explicit incitement against President Mahmoud Abbas," the letter read, adding: "We consider the comments to be a direct threat against a natural partner for peace."
On Monday, the EU chided Lieberman for his comments on Abbas, with European Foreign Minister Catherine Ashton saying that "the reported remarks of Israel's foreign minister ... are regrettably not helpful to create the environment of trust conducive to negotiations."
"The EU has consistently called for reconciliation behind President Abbas as an important element for reaching a two-state solution," she added.
In another apparent comment on Lieberman's remarks, President Shimon Peres offered public support to the Palestinian leadership, saying that "Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad are serious leaders who want peace and are working to prevent violence and extremism in our area."
The Palestinian Authority has filed a complaint with the United Nations Security Council over the 'incitement' by Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
The complaint cites an article published by Haaretz on Monday, in which Lieberman was quoted as saying that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is the "greatest obstacle" to regional order, and that it would be a "blessing" if the Palestinian leader were to resign.
"If there is one obstacle that should be removed immediately, it is [Abbas]," he said. "If he were to return the keys and resign, it would not be a threat, but a blessing."
The letter submitted on Tuesday to the Security Council states that "we unequivocally reject and object to such incitement, which we consider to be a clear threat against the life of President Mahmoud Abbas, whose commitment to peace is absolutely unquestionable."
The letter also refers to Israeli settlement construction, planned construction in Israel and the separation wall.
In a letter sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Tuesday, the PA's minister of civilian affairs, Hussein a-Sheikh, demanded that the Israeli government issue a formal apology for the FM's comments, saying that they represented a direct threat to Abbas's life.
"In the name of the Palestinian Authority, we condemn the statements made by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, which carry explicit incitement against President Mahmoud Abbas," the letter read, adding: "We consider the comments to be a direct threat against a natural partner for peace."
On Monday, the EU chided Lieberman for his comments on Abbas, with European Foreign Minister Catherine Ashton saying that "the reported remarks of Israel's foreign minister ... are regrettably not helpful to create the environment of trust conducive to negotiations."
"The EU has consistently called for reconciliation behind President Abbas as an important element for reaching a two-state solution," she added.
In another apparent comment on Lieberman's remarks, President Shimon Peres offered public support to the Palestinian leadership, saying that "Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad are serious leaders who want peace and are working to prevent violence and extremism in our area."
Abbas to discuss fate of PA with Hamas next month
The PA was set up as a state-in-waiting 17 years ago, but is now seen by critics as compromised body that eases the burden of occupation for Israel.
President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that he plans to discuss the fate of the Palestinian Authority with his rivals Hamas next month, raising questions over its future with the peace process at a dead end.
"The Authority is not an authority. People and Palestinian institutions are asking me about the benefits of the continuation of the Authority," Abbas said in comments to his Fatah party published by WAFA news agency on Thursday.
The day before, the Palestinian leader said in an address "we want to answer this question and therefore it will be one of the subjects we will discuss with our brother Khaled Meshaal, leader of Hamas."
"The question we must answer is where are we heading?"
The PA was set up as a state-in-waiting 17 years ago, but is now seen by critics as compromised body that eases the burden of occupation for Israel.
Abbas, 76, offered no clues about what he could do to maintain the PA's relevance, which depends on the financial support of donors including the European Union, the United States and Arab governments.
Today, its mandate is limited to patches of West Bank land encompassing the main Palestinian cities and villages, territory handed to the PA under interim peace agreements in the 1990s.
The West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem are territories Israel captured in a 1967 war and where the Palestinians aim to found an independent state. Gaza is currently controlled by the more militant Hamas.
Peace talks aimed at bringing about independence are at a standstill because of a dispute over Israel's expansion of settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
November meeting with Hamas
Abbas said last month in a speech to the UN General Assembly that settlement expansion threatened to destroy the chances of the establishment of a viable Palestinian state and to kill off the Palestinian Authority.
Some Palestinians say the PA should be dissolved completely, a move they say would hand Israel full responsibility for governing all the Palestinians in the territories it controls.
Now, the PA takes care of civilian affairs in the main Palestinian population centers, where it also manages internal security -- responsibilities critics say Israel should be handed if there is to be no Palestinian independence any time soon.
Others say that it is unrealistic, arguing the Palestinians would suffer from such a step. The PA employs 150,000 people and there is no guarantee Israel would step in were it to disappear.
The role of the PA was part of a broader question the Palestinians must address, Abbas said. This included their next steps at the United Nations, where on Sept. 23 Abbas requested admission for Palestine as a full member state. Fierce U.S. opposition to the move is destined to thwart it.
Abbas said he planned to meet the Hamas leadership at the start of November. It will be his first meeting with Meshaal since May, when the two men concluded a deal aimed at reuniting their rival governments in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip from Abbas in 2007 and has governed there ever since, building its own administration and security forces, while Abbas continues to head the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
Since signing the deal, Fatah and Hamas have failed to make progress toward the implementation of a unity government.
President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that he plans to discuss the fate of the Palestinian Authority with his rivals Hamas next month, raising questions over its future with the peace process at a dead end.
"The Authority is not an authority. People and Palestinian institutions are asking me about the benefits of the continuation of the Authority," Abbas said in comments to his Fatah party published by WAFA news agency on Thursday.
The day before, the Palestinian leader said in an address "we want to answer this question and therefore it will be one of the subjects we will discuss with our brother Khaled Meshaal, leader of Hamas."
"The question we must answer is where are we heading?"
The PA was set up as a state-in-waiting 17 years ago, but is now seen by critics as compromised body that eases the burden of occupation for Israel.
Abbas, 76, offered no clues about what he could do to maintain the PA's relevance, which depends on the financial support of donors including the European Union, the United States and Arab governments.
Today, its mandate is limited to patches of West Bank land encompassing the main Palestinian cities and villages, territory handed to the PA under interim peace agreements in the 1990s.
The West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem are territories Israel captured in a 1967 war and where the Palestinians aim to found an independent state. Gaza is currently controlled by the more militant Hamas.
Peace talks aimed at bringing about independence are at a standstill because of a dispute over Israel's expansion of settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
November meeting with Hamas
Abbas said last month in a speech to the UN General Assembly that settlement expansion threatened to destroy the chances of the establishment of a viable Palestinian state and to kill off the Palestinian Authority.
Some Palestinians say the PA should be dissolved completely, a move they say would hand Israel full responsibility for governing all the Palestinians in the territories it controls.
Now, the PA takes care of civilian affairs in the main Palestinian population centers, where it also manages internal security -- responsibilities critics say Israel should be handed if there is to be no Palestinian independence any time soon.
Others say that it is unrealistic, arguing the Palestinians would suffer from such a step. The PA employs 150,000 people and there is no guarantee Israel would step in were it to disappear.
The role of the PA was part of a broader question the Palestinians must address, Abbas said. This included their next steps at the United Nations, where on Sept. 23 Abbas requested admission for Palestine as a full member state. Fierce U.S. opposition to the move is destined to thwart it.
Abbas said he planned to meet the Hamas leadership at the start of November. It will be his first meeting with Meshaal since May, when the two men concluded a deal aimed at reuniting their rival governments in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip from Abbas in 2007 and has governed there ever since, building its own administration and security forces, while Abbas continues to head the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
Since signing the deal, Fatah and Hamas have failed to make progress toward the implementation of a unity government.
Grapel to Netanyahu: I underwent difficult times in Egyptian prison, but was treated fairly
American-Israeli citizen jailed in Cairo on suspicion of espionage meets with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; PM thanks U.S. and Egypt governments for efforts to secure his release.
Ilan Grapel, an American-Israeli citizen jailed in Cairo on suspicion of espionage for over four months, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel on Thursday after he was released. Grapel told the prime minister that he underwent difficult times in prison, but was treated fairly.
Grapel was freed in exchange for 25 Egyptian prisoners, all held on criminal charges, who were released to Egypt prior to his return.
Grapel landed at Ben-Gurion Airport Thursday evening accompanied by Kadima MK Yisrael Hasson and attorney Yitzhak Molcho who mediated the talks leading up to his release.
Grapel was met by his mother, Congressman Gary Ackerman whom Grapel worked for and American Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro.
The American-Israeli went with his mother straight from the airport to a short meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his office in Jerusalem. Grapel thanked the prime minister for his efforts to secure his release, and told him about his time in prison.
"This was hanging on a thread and I am glad it worked," Netanyahu said. "I am very grateful to the governments of Egypt and the United States."
MK Hasson told Haaretz on Thursday that Grapel had explained that he had come to Cairo as part of his studies and because he was interested in the goings-on in Egypt.
"He said that he went to demonstrations out of curiosity, and never imagined that he would find himself in prison," Hasson said.
According to Hasson, during the talks to secure Grapel's release, the topic of Oda Tarabin, an Israeli that has been held in Egypt for 11 years, was brought up.
"The issue of Tarabin was on the table, and is still on the table and I hope it will end for the best. The less we speak about it, the better," Hasson said.
State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said in a statement that "the United States welcomes the release of Ilan Grapel, who we have worked hard to bring home since his June detention in Egypt."
She thanked the governments of Egypt and Israel for their roles in reuniting him with his family, adding, "the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty is a vital element of regional peace and stability, and we strongly support both countries' sustained commitment to its provisions."
Ilan Grapel, an American-Israeli citizen jailed in Cairo on suspicion of espionage for over four months, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel on Thursday after he was released. Grapel told the prime minister that he underwent difficult times in prison, but was treated fairly.
Grapel was freed in exchange for 25 Egyptian prisoners, all held on criminal charges, who were released to Egypt prior to his return.
Grapel landed at Ben-Gurion Airport Thursday evening accompanied by Kadima MK Yisrael Hasson and attorney Yitzhak Molcho who mediated the talks leading up to his release.
Grapel was met by his mother, Congressman Gary Ackerman whom Grapel worked for and American Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro.
The American-Israeli went with his mother straight from the airport to a short meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his office in Jerusalem. Grapel thanked the prime minister for his efforts to secure his release, and told him about his time in prison.
"This was hanging on a thread and I am glad it worked," Netanyahu said. "I am very grateful to the governments of Egypt and the United States."
MK Hasson told Haaretz on Thursday that Grapel had explained that he had come to Cairo as part of his studies and because he was interested in the goings-on in Egypt.
"He said that he went to demonstrations out of curiosity, and never imagined that he would find himself in prison," Hasson said.
According to Hasson, during the talks to secure Grapel's release, the topic of Oda Tarabin, an Israeli that has been held in Egypt for 11 years, was brought up.
"The issue of Tarabin was on the table, and is still on the table and I hope it will end for the best. The less we speak about it, the better," Hasson said.
State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said in a statement that "the United States welcomes the release of Ilan Grapel, who we have worked hard to bring home since his June detention in Egypt."
She thanked the governments of Egypt and Israel for their roles in reuniting him with his family, adding, "the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty is a vital element of regional peace and stability, and we strongly support both countries' sustained commitment to its provisions."
Oct 26, 2011
Prisoner exchange deals won't bring peace
It's time to get to know a different and beautiful creature called reconciliation, a kind of bridge of hope over the rivers of blood.
Does anyone really think that peace can be reached while thousands of Palestinian prisoners rot away in jail? In the past, the insistence on keeping a "souvenir" from Lebanon after Israel's retreat caused three soldiers to be kidnapped, and the insistence on keeping more prisoners in jail during talks for the soldiers' release triggered another kidnapping and war. If in May 2000 all the residue of the cursed Lebanese war had been dealt with, thousands of lives could have been saved.
I regret that in these days of celebration, when the bells of freedom ring in many hearts on both sides, I feel obliged to discuss these questions. But I see no choice when faced with the grinding teeth and clenched jaws of tormented analysts and security hawks, whose world crumbles upon any hint of compromise between the two peoples. And their prophecies of doom only deepen the agony of victims' families and stoke a desire for revenge among the public.
Again the flag is raised, worn out by cynical use, against the release of prisoners with "blood on their hands," as if the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed on the fields of the terrible conflict have no murderers whose hands drip with blood. Well, sirs, in this war make sure never to be a Palestinian victim, for you will never have a murderer to call your own. And try never to be an Israeli victim, for your obsessive revengers will bring yet more ruin to the region, including your own people.
What will those Palestinians do who can't enjoy the luxury of what is called "settling accounts" with their sons' and daughters' murderers? On the Palestinian side, as opposed to the Israeli side, they have no soldiers in enemy dress to drag murderers from their beds, they have no investigators, stool pigeons and lawyers. They don't even have prisons. So who will settle accounts, for example, with the murderers of 1,211 children killed in the second intifada; who will settle accounts with the murderers of the daughters of Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish in Gaza? But why go so far afield? Who will settle accounts with the murderers of Asil Asala from Arabeh, an Israeli citizen murdered in his village's olive grove in October 2000?
The poet Taha Muhammad Ali said of the Palestinian that "his rights are a grain of salt dropped in the ocean." If Levi Eshkol had, as he said, an "open notebook and a recording hand," then the Palestinians, as far as notebooks go, have a thick volume. And if it is accounts we're talking about, shouldn't accounts be settled with former U.S. President George W. Bush, who went to war in Iraq, incurring tens of thousands of victims, based on false premises? And shouldn't accounts be settled with then-Secretary of State Colin Powell, who dangled "evidence" in front of the entire world at the United Nations "proving" that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, yet to be discovered on the ground?
In the meantime, while the desire for revenge calls out from every television screen, please get ready for the next deal: Closely guard Israel's national treasure - its Palestinian prisoners - so cruelly reduced in the latest dilution. And guard every soldier, lest he be kidnapped, and guard the guards. And wait for the next power struggle.
This isn't the way to peace or preventing the next round of violence. It's high time we change the disk and recognize that revenge is neither ethical nor worthwhile since it's a double-edged sword. It's time to get to know a different and beautiful creature called reconciliation, a kind of bridge of hope over the rivers of blood; to recognize that the enemy, whether Arab or Jew, is also endowed with a beating human heart and also has sons who wait and mothers who worry, in the words of Taha Muhammad Ali. And most importantly, we must realize that the distance between revenge and reconciliation is the same as that between war and peace.
Does anyone really think that peace can be reached while thousands of Palestinian prisoners rot away in jail? In the past, the insistence on keeping a "souvenir" from Lebanon after Israel's retreat caused three soldiers to be kidnapped, and the insistence on keeping more prisoners in jail during talks for the soldiers' release triggered another kidnapping and war. If in May 2000 all the residue of the cursed Lebanese war had been dealt with, thousands of lives could have been saved.
I regret that in these days of celebration, when the bells of freedom ring in many hearts on both sides, I feel obliged to discuss these questions. But I see no choice when faced with the grinding teeth and clenched jaws of tormented analysts and security hawks, whose world crumbles upon any hint of compromise between the two peoples. And their prophecies of doom only deepen the agony of victims' families and stoke a desire for revenge among the public.
Again the flag is raised, worn out by cynical use, against the release of prisoners with "blood on their hands," as if the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed on the fields of the terrible conflict have no murderers whose hands drip with blood. Well, sirs, in this war make sure never to be a Palestinian victim, for you will never have a murderer to call your own. And try never to be an Israeli victim, for your obsessive revengers will bring yet more ruin to the region, including your own people.
What will those Palestinians do who can't enjoy the luxury of what is called "settling accounts" with their sons' and daughters' murderers? On the Palestinian side, as opposed to the Israeli side, they have no soldiers in enemy dress to drag murderers from their beds, they have no investigators, stool pigeons and lawyers. They don't even have prisons. So who will settle accounts, for example, with the murderers of 1,211 children killed in the second intifada; who will settle accounts with the murderers of the daughters of Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish in Gaza? But why go so far afield? Who will settle accounts with the murderers of Asil Asala from Arabeh, an Israeli citizen murdered in his village's olive grove in October 2000?
The poet Taha Muhammad Ali said of the Palestinian that "his rights are a grain of salt dropped in the ocean." If Levi Eshkol had, as he said, an "open notebook and a recording hand," then the Palestinians, as far as notebooks go, have a thick volume. And if it is accounts we're talking about, shouldn't accounts be settled with former U.S. President George W. Bush, who went to war in Iraq, incurring tens of thousands of victims, based on false premises? And shouldn't accounts be settled with then-Secretary of State Colin Powell, who dangled "evidence" in front of the entire world at the United Nations "proving" that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, yet to be discovered on the ground?
In the meantime, while the desire for revenge calls out from every television screen, please get ready for the next deal: Closely guard Israel's national treasure - its Palestinian prisoners - so cruelly reduced in the latest dilution. And guard every soldier, lest he be kidnapped, and guard the guards. And wait for the next power struggle.
This isn't the way to peace or preventing the next round of violence. It's high time we change the disk and recognize that revenge is neither ethical nor worthwhile since it's a double-edged sword. It's time to get to know a different and beautiful creature called reconciliation, a kind of bridge of hope over the rivers of blood; to recognize that the enemy, whether Arab or Jew, is also endowed with a beating human heart and also has sons who wait and mothers who worry, in the words of Taha Muhammad Ali. And most importantly, we must realize that the distance between revenge and reconciliation is the same as that between war and peace.
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