Yesterday’s Washington Times, brings these ominous words from two members of the Israeli Knesset about the Iranian nuclear program.
The United States and its allies must act to stop Iran’s nuclear programs — by force if necessary — because conventional diplomacy will not work, three senior Israeli lawmakers from across the political spectrum warned yesterday.
Iran will not be deterred “by anything short of a threat of force,” said Arieh Eldad, a member of Israel’s right-wing National Union Party, part of a delegation of Knesset members visiting Washington this week.
As a last resort, they said, Israel itself would act unilaterally to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear arms.
Mr. Eldad said Israelis across the political spectrum see Iran as the country’s most serious threat and one that cannot be ignored.
But he added that unilateral action by Israel was the “worst possible scenario,” likely to inflame opinion throughout the Muslim world.
“If we have to do it, we’ll do it,” he said with a shrug. “If the United States and the world community do it, there is a chance the issue can be contained. If Israel has to do it alone, there is no chance the conflict can be contained.”
I have no idea whether these men speak for the Israeli government in any sense or if they are outside of Israels political mainstream. At the same time, though, their words should be taken to mean what they say. Israel will not stand by and allow Iran to become a nuclear power, as proven by the attack on an Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981.
