Sneh: We must do more to isolate Iran
Outgoing deputy defense minister warns of insufficient funds affecting Israel's ability to meet Iranian threat, shows little optimism on Syrian front
"I'm not happy with the resources given to the IDF and Ministry of Defense to deal with the Iranian threat," said outgoing Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh in a press conference Monday.
Sneh spoke to reporters upon leaving the Defense Ministry and handing the position of deputy defense minister over to MK Matan Vilna'i.
Israel and the US, he said, do not have any joint plan to tackle the Iranian threat.
"Some projects take longer than others…we don't have the necessary resources to meet this threat properly. A country under this kind of threat has to get its priorities straight," he added.
As for the Brodet Committee report, which recommended reforms in the defense budget, Sneh thinks the report is very simply - wrong.
"The committee's members made the wrong work assumptions, which naturally led to the wrong conclusions.
"The committee didn't look at the threats facing Israel or at the proper response to those threats… that's not the way to build national security," he said.
Isolating the 'terror's generator'
Sneh went on to say he felt the international sanctions on Iran aren’t as effective as they might be, stating more must be done to completely isolate "terror's generator."
He wasn't very optimistic as to Syrian front either: "No one is exactly reaching out to us with an olive branch," said Sneh. "If they want to open the door to a better future, they know where to find the key."
Sneh had some good news regarding $26 million which were recently allocated to the Home Front Command for the purpose of renewing the public's gas-masks supply.
He further reported on the forming of a new Home Front Command situation room, meant to hold and coordinate information from the various military, law enforcement and emergency services in case of a national emergency.
