Maj-Gen Amos Yedlin
Photo: Haim Zach
Iran able to bypass US sanctions, says IDF intelligence chief
Maj-Gen Amos Yadlin briefs cabinet on Iran, pre-Annapolis Palestinian efforts, Hamas actions in Gaza. 'If peace talks fail situation at PA will deteriorate,' he warns
Major-General Amos Yadlin, Director of Military Intelligence, warned Sunday that the effect of the financial sanctions placed on Iran by the US is very limited.
The three Iranian banks put on the US terror watch list have no substantial holdings, said Yadlin, who spoke at Sunday's cabinet meeting.
Enemy at the Gate
Britain, France, Germany, US, Russia and China representatives agree Friday to push for another round of sanctions against Islamic republic, unless IAEA reports indicate Tehran ‘trying to address concerns’ about its nuclear program
Furthermore, he added, the Iranians are playing both ends against the middle, trying to appease EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana on one hand, and working with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the other.
Should the IAEA vote against further actions against Iran, added Yadlin, the UN Security Council is unlikely to approve new sanctions on it.
'Hamas may try to derail Annapolis'
Speaking of the Israeli-Palestinian talks regarding the nearing Annapolis conference, Yadlin told the cabinet that the Palestinians wish to keep everybody's expectations of the conference low.
"If the conference fails things might start going south at the PA, posing a serious risk to Israel," he said. "Hamas objects to the fact that Abu-Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) is representing the Palestinian people at Annapolis. They don't believe in the conference and they might try to derail the meet by targeting IDF forces in and around Gaza."
Yadlin went on to dismiss the reports of a humanitarian crisis brewing in Gaza: "Gaza is not a recommended place to live in, but there is no humanitarian crisis in the Strip.
"They're stocking up on food and money and more efforts are being put into the terror's infrastructure, "added Yadlin."They're smuggling in 10 tones of TNT a month."
