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Barak. Fears Iranian nukes
Photo courtesy of CNN
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Mahmoud al-Mabhouh. No comment
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Barak: Iran not developing 'Avatar longbows'

Defense minister says in CNN interview Tehran is clearly headed toward nuclear missile capability. He refuses to comment on Dubai assassination, conveys warning to Lebanon

Defense Minister Ehud Barak says the international community must impose sanctions on Iran, because it is developing nuclear weapons and not an "Avatar-like longbows".

 

In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Barak criticized the Goldstone Report which accused Israel of commiting war crimes in Gaza, and firmly refused to comment on the assassination of Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai. He also used the opportunity to take a jab at Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni.

 

During the exclusive interview to be aired later Sunday, an old quote by Barak was cited, in which he claimed that Iran was too clever to fire nuclear weapons at Israel.

 

The defense minister said in response to his prior comment that he had no doubt that Iran was moving toward nuclear missile technology. He added that he could not imagine a world order in which Iran has nuclear weapons. He said Tehran was clearly headed toward nuclear missile capability.


Barak and Amanpour (photo courtesy of CNN)

 

The interviewer reminded the minister of comments by an American official that pressuring Iran could push Tehran into striking Israel. He said he that while he does understand the principle behind the US official's comments, he does not believe that the situation has reached this point.

 

Barak did say that the Iranian regime was planning to attack Israel via Hezbollah or another proxy.

 

He noted that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was in Damascus two days ago, and said he must have discussed his future plans there, as he spoke of a "new Middle East with no Zionists and no colonialists."

 

He added, "this guy, you know, happened to develop not new Avatar-like longbows… but a nuclear weapon. So we somehow have to take this situation seriously."

 

'We'll not run, we'll hit Lebanon'

The defense minister stressed that Israel was "not interested in a conflict in the north or in the east. But if it is imposed upon us, we know how to respond."

 

In the same breath, he emphasized that the Israeli government and the IDF would show no restraint if faced with an attempt by Hezbollah to ignite the region.

 

"We say loud and clear: We are not interested in a conflict, we will not initiate one, but if we will be attacked… Namely, our civilian population, because this militia happens to have more than 40,000 rockets and missiles that cover all of Israel. We will not run or chase any individual Hezbollah fighter. We will hit Lebanon and whatever is under the responsibility of Lebanon's government."

 

Amanpour also inquired on Barak's opinion regarding the assassination of Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai last month, and noted that the defense minister has a rich history of secret operations, including the assassination of Palestinians.

 

Barak said he has nothing to say about the incident in Dubai, and corrected Amanpour, stressing that he "never killed Palestinians per se. I killed terrorists who were directly responsible for the killing -- indiscriminate killing - of civilians." He added that this is any government's main role – to protect its citizens from murder.

 

'Goldstone Report encourages terror'

He was asked what he thinks about the "coincidence" that most of the stolen identities used in the Dubai assassination belonged to Israeli citizens. In response he told Amanpour that when he says he has nothing more to say about a subject, that this means he really has nothing more to say and has no intention of talking.

 

But Amanpour insisted, and asked if Barak was denying any involvement in the affair. He responded saying he has nothing to say. The interviewer then asked the minister if he believes in the efficiency of targeted killings, as in the infamous case in Jordan. Barak responded saying she could ask him about this in the next interview, since any response he would give now would be taken as an implied answer to her previous question. He once again stressed that he has nothing to say on the subject of the Mabhouh killing.

 

Addressing the Goldstone Report, Barak referred to it as "biased, extorted and totally unexplainable in my judgment and it even encourages somehow terror." He insisted that the report would not change the policy of the government or the Israel Defense Forces in future wars.

 

"We always try to improve ourselves, but we don't need the Goldstone report for this. We started an investigation into the details of what happened (in Gaza) long before Goldstone wrote his report," he said.

 

Amanpour also raised the risk of arrest threatening Israeli officials and the firm stance voiced by Knesset Member Livni, who says she does not fear being arrested in London. Barak responded that that was probably the only issue he and the opposition leader were in full agreement about.

 


פרסום ראשון: 02.28.10, 16:06
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