Not so loud: Public threats to attack Iran by deputy premier draw ire of "Israeli" officials

Source: Al-Manar, 08-06-2008

'Israeli' officials on Sunday slammed a senior minister's threat to attack Iran unless the Islamic republic halts its atomic drive, accusing him of exploiting the issue for political gain. Deputy War Minister Matan Vilnai, in an interview with public radio, slammed what he called Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz's "cynical use of central strategic issues for internal political reasons."

Mofaz, the infrastructure minister and a senior member of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Kadima party, said in a newspaper interview that "if Iran continues its nuclear weapons program, we will attack it." "Other options are disappearing. The sanctions are not effective. There will be no alternative but to attack Iran in order to stop the Iranian nuclear program," Mofaz told Friday's edition of 'Israeli' daily Yediot Aharonot. He stressed such an operation could only be conducted with US support.

A former war minister and army chief, Mofaz hopes to replace embattled Ehud Olmert as prime minister and at the helm of the Kadima party. "These declarations are irresponsible and do not represent the position of our government," said a senior war official quoted by public radio on Sunday.

"The Iranian nuclear program is a concern for the entire international community, not only 'Israel'. These declarations work against us because they distract attention from the main issue, which is the threat," the official added.

'Israel', believed to be the region's sole if undeclared nuclear power, considers Iran its greatest threat because of the Islamic republic's accelerating nuclear program, which Tehran adamantly insists is peaceful. Iran protested over Mofaz's remarks on Saturday in a letter to the UN Security Council and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

"The 'Israeli' regime has been emboldened by the Security Council's indifference and... in blatant violation of the principles of the United Nations continues to threaten Iran with force," the letter said. 'Israel's' close ally the United States has been leading the drive to pressure Iran to halt its program and to date the Security Council has imposed three rounds of economic sanctions.