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Ya'alon supports unilateral strike against Iran

April 12, 2014 at 11:31 am

Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon yesterday said that he had changed his mind regarding the Iranian nuclear programme and is now supporting a unilateral Israeli action against it, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.


Speaking at Tel Aviv University, he said: “We had thought the ones who should lead the campaign against Iran is the United States. But at some stage the US entered into negotiations with them and unhappily, when it comes to negotiating at a Persian bazaar, the Iranians were better.”

Ya’alon expressed his anger over the US leaving Israel alone to face the Iranian nuclear issue. “Therefore, on this matter,” he said, “we have to behave as though we have nobody to look out for us but ourselves.”

The minister, who has not previously supported unilateral action against Iran, appeared critical of Washington’s current view towards Iran. He described the US of “acting feebly and demonstrating weakness”.

He said US President Barack Obama would prefer to leave the confrontation with Iran to his successor. “People know that Iran cheats,” Ya’alon said, “But comfortable Westerners prefer to put off confrontation. If possible, to next year, or the next president. But in the end, it will blow up.”

Ya’alon believes Iran was “on its knees” thanks to the economic sanctions imposed on it, but it succeeded in removing itself from this using a “smile offensive”. He accused the US of abandoning the camp of the Sunni Muslims in favour of the Shia ones, which has been expanding in the region.

If this policy continued, Ya’alon expected, it would affect the US’s national security.

Speaking about the US aid to Israel, he said the US is not doing Israel a favour in this regard as the setup is mutually beneficial. “Israeli is not only a receiver, but it is also a giver,” he said. “The US gets unique intelligence information and technology for what it gives us.”

He recounted a number of important Israeli inventions given to the US including the Iron Dome, wings of F35 jets and the defence rocket system Hetz.