Meir Dagan
Photo: Haim Zach
Iran's Ahmadinejad
Photo: AFP
Iran greatest threat to Israel, Mossad chief says
Tehran, Syria, Hizbullah and Hamas have joined forces against Israel, Meir Dagan tells Knesset
The threats against the State of Israel emanating
from the south, the north and Iran
will intensify in 2008, Mossad chief Meir Dagan told the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday.
According to Dagan - Iran, Syria, Hizbullah and Hamas have joined forces against Israel. He added that the recent US National Intelligence Estimate, which said Iran halted its nuclear weapons development program in the fall of 2003 under international pressure but is continuing to enrich uranium, may hinder international efforts to impose fresh sanctions on Tehran.
The Mossad chief said that according to some security estimates, Iran will obtain nuclear capabilities by 2009, while more optimistic estimates say the Islamic Republic won't go nuclear before the end of 2010.
Dagan said Syria and Hizbullah were continuing their efforts to obtain projectiles but added that in Syria's case the armament was mainly for defense purposes.
He said the Israeli security establishment still contends that Damascus will not initiate a military campaign against Israel.
