Defense Minister Amir Peretz continued his assault against his critics and in private talks with aides he fired in all directions: against his opponents in the Labor Party, against critics of his performance at the Ministry of Defense, and politicians who speak about the Iranian nuclear threat.
"I just want one thing. Let me work. I want three days of calm, even a week during which my name is mentioned nowhere, for good and or bad. Those conducting the incitement campaign against me are harming the state's security. This incitement must stop, and should be allowed to work," he said.
About reports that a rift has developed between himself and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert over his phone conversation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Peretz said nothing.
Peretz rejected reports that he is pondering an offer by Olmert to head the Ministry of Finance in return for resigning his post at the Ministry of Defense.
"The issue of the Treasury is irrelevant. I say that unequivocally. I proposed nothing and so did Ehud Olmert. I don't believe he will propose. Therefore I don't discuss hypothetical ideas. I don't play that game. I am Defense Minister, period. There are two situation in which I would leave the Ministry of Defense: If the Winograd committee rules that I should go – and then the whole political echelon will go with me – or if there is a coalition crisis, and then the Labor Party will leave the government."
The defense minister accused the media of conducting a slander campaign against him and charged that some media organizations are cooperating with the Prime Minister's Office.
"Never was there a campaign against a public figure like there is against me," he said. "There is no radio program, no newspaper, no television program that doesn't consecrate half of its content to the question of why I can't be defense minister. Once the press was fair, when it presents the pros and cons. Today this isn't happening. I know people who were on their way to a television studio and the producers sent them back home because they were unwilling to come out against me."
'Iran's nuclear threat became tool to advance public image'
Peretz also criticized Israeli politicians who speak about the Iranian nuclear threat, and made remarks that may help calm the Israeli public: "They speak too much about the Iranian nuclear issue. I speak much less. I can just say that the link between the slogans and warnings in the media and reality is very weak. But, we are dealing with the threat very seriously. Even if it will take two, three or five years before they can have the bomb – we are treating the threat as an immediate threat."
"There are politicians for whom the Iranian issue became a tool to advance their public image. In my view, that's more dangerous than remarks made by the Iranian president on the issue. I have to admit that people who speak about this issue are crazy. But maybe I am crazy for showing responsibility. Some have a better pretension, a pretension that they know how to deal with the Iranian issue. They speak irresponsibly and have no limits, because they know nothing. So they can say anything."
Peretz told aides this weekend that Israel can reach a political agreement with the Palestinians about the future of the West Bank, without an anti-missile defense system: "We need a system along the border. I gave orders to invest in this system and we hope that in the next few days we will complete the stage of deciding which system we will invest in."
Peretz said that by the end of 2007 the Israel Defense Forces would reach a level of preparedness that is higher than at any other time in recent history: "I am dealing with war reserves store units, reserves, training --- issues that were dramatically exposed in the war."