Sharon: Iranian Nukes Unacceptable

Sheera Claire Frenkel, The Jerusalem Post:

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, speaking at the editors' convention at Sokolov House in Tel Aviv, said Thursday that Israel, as well as other nations, cannot accept a scenario in which Iran acquires nuclear capabilities and that Israel was making preparations for the possibility Iran will acquire nuclear weapons.

He added, however, that Israel would not lead the fight against the Islamic state's nuclear ambitions.

"The danger does not only affect Israel, but also Middle Eastern countries and many other countries around the world. Therefore the recent efforts led by the US must include free countries that understand this grave danger," the prime minister said.

"We're making all preparations for such a situation," added Sharon, "Israel is not in the vanguard of this."

The prime minister said the West has the military capabilities to handle Iran, but "before anyone decides on a military step, every effort would be made to pressure Iran to halt this activity. It seems to me such efforts can be fruitful," he said.

Also Thursday, and only one day after Military Intelligence Chief Aharon Ze'evi Farkash said that after March, Israel must be prepared to use means other than diplomacy to halt Iran's nuclear weapons program, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz echoed Sharon's call that the international community should use diplomacy to block Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Mofaz denied that Israel, which bombed an Iraqi nuclear reactor more than two decades ago, was considering attacking Iran.

"The position of the state of Israel is that the diplomatic track is the correct way to deal with the Iranian nuclear policies," Mofaz told Army Radio.

Israel will make every effort to get the UN Security Council to pass resolutions that would sanction Iran, in order to pressure it to abandon the nuclear program, Mofaz said.

Farkash would not detail other options, but sources on the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, which Farkash was addressing Wednesday said it was clear that Israel would have to consider taking military action against Iran.

"In my years here, seeing the data I have seen, I feel it is clear that Iran has passed the point of no return," said committee chairman Yuval Steinitz (Likud). "It is accurate to say that unless Iran encounters a major interference, it will have a functioning nuclear arsenal within one or two years." READ MORE

Iran has produced 45 tons of UF- 6 gas that is used in the centrifuge process for producing enriched uranium for nuclear weapons, said Steinitz.

"If by the end of March 2006 the international community will have failed to halt Iran's nuclear weapons program, diplomatic efforts will be pointless," said Farkash. "Iran has the upper hand in negotiations with the international community.

In order to deflect international attention from its weapons program, Iran has been encouraging Hizbullah to step up attacks on Israel, said Farkash, noting that the recent Hizbullah attacks along Israel's northern border were instigated by Syria and Iran.

"The latest flare up in the north was a strategic plan by Hizbullah," Farkash said. "They hoped we would retaliate by firing rockets and hitting civilians. We have seen evidence of them preparing for this type of attack along the border." Farkash added that the IDF had responded 'appropriately' and not given Hizbullah a pretext to escalate the violence.

Farkash explained that Syria and Iran were attempting to heat up the situation along the border to deflect international attention on their own policies. Syria is facing a United Nations probe into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in December.

More Hizbullah attacks can be expected until the UN report on Hariri's assassination is released on December 15th, said Farkash. He suggested that Hizbullah might launch a drone packed with explosives at Israel, or try to attack Israelis abroad.

In addition, Farkash told the committee that the border between Syria and Iraq had become porous, with Syria enabling terrorists to pass freely.

"Syria hopes to see a American failure in Iraq," said Farkash. "The Americans would not have the military or political capacity for another military operation in the region." The intelligence chief did not elaborate but a spokesman for the committee said that he was apparently alluding to Iran and Syria.

Meanwhile, the IDF expects Hamas to preserve the lull in violence until the January 25th elections, although the Hamas military wing has been pressuring for renewed attacks, said Farkash. Hamas hopes to win 30 percent of the vote in the upcoming elections. Islamic Jihad will not run in the elections, and will be expected to mount terror attacks added Farkash.