Peretz: Nuclear policy hasn’t changed
Responding to PM’s slip of the tongue, defense minister says, 'Israel's ambiguous nuclear policy has not changed.’ On Iran: We are being threatened with annihilation and demand that the international community act
Israel's Defense Minister Amir Peretz responded Tuesday to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's comments regarding Israel's nuclear policy by saying that "Israel's ambiguous nuclear policy has not changed."
Peretz addressed publications on the possibility of war with Syria by saying that "some statements are sometimes overly interpreted."
"There are no evaluations showing that the Syrian military plans to open war," he said.
"On the one hand we must prepare for any threat according to the information we have gathered, but we cannot allow the voices of war to lead to war; sometimes an escalation in the rhetoric can cause an unnecessary war," Peretz stated.
“On the other hand, if (Syrian President Bashar) Assad wants peace, he knows what steps need to be taken,” the defense minister said.
As to Iran, the defense minister said, “The important thing is what the Iranian president says and the threat on the country. We are being threatened with annihilation and we have no boundaries with Iran; we demand that the international community act.”
"We will do our job, nobody should think that with all that is happening we will remain indifferent," said Peretz.
Peretz, who toured the West Bank along with IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz, met with paratroopers stationed there.
'We will do our job.' Peretz (R) and Halutz (Photo: Niv Kalderon)
“There is no doubt that your activity creates a sense of security for Israel’s citizens; this should not be taken for granted,” the defense minister told the soldiers. “The ceasefire in Gaza does not affect this region; here the activity will go on as usual.”
'We will spare no effort'
Peretz continued to say, “We must make a clear distinction between the war on Palestinian terror and the Palestinian people. Israel will not compromise in its war on terror, but on the other hand makes every effort to improve the fabric of the Palestinian nation. We must remember that as the desperation grows so does the potential for terror.”
Turning his attention to the illegal outposts in the West Bank, the defense minister said, “Within a few weeks we will reach a decision on whether it is possible to conduct a voluntary evacuation, and if not we will do what we must.”
Peretz said of the recent criticism directed at the IDF, “I do not plan on joining this campaign, which sometimes indiscriminately attacks the army’s core values, sometimes in an irresponsible way. I am all for transparency and criticism, but not when it is done irresponsibly.”
Asked by a female soldier of the 101st Battalion asked whether he can guarantee that Israel will do everything to return its kidnapped soldiers in the future, Peretz said, “We will spare no effort, be it covert or open, to bring the soldiers home.
“The issue of the kidnapped and missing soldiers will remain one of the army’s ethical codes,” he added.
