Chief of Staff: War will Knock Lebanon Back by Decades
Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz hopes Iranian leaders will scrap nuclear program of their own accord. As for Gaza, he predicts IDF "will visit it."
First Publish: Arutz Sheva - 9/6/2012, 9:19 PM
Lt. Gen. Gantz in action.
Israel news photo: Flash 90
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz voiced hope in an interview published Thursday that Iranian leaders will decide to scrap their nuclear arms program of their own accord. He also said that the next war with Lebanon will knock the country back "by decades."
"We are more prepared than in the past, we are better than we were in the past, and we will do whatever the political echelon decides after this dialog [with Iran] is over," he said. "A nuclear Iran is not a question of ability, but rather one of decision. This is a global problem. Ultimately, the one who will decide to relinquish the nuclear program is Iran," the Chief of the Staff said in an interview to Halochem magazine, which is published by the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization.
"Iran is a great nation with tens of millions of residents, universities, economic and scientific capabilities; we can't take that away from them. I think that is a very rich culture that must decide, ultimately, that this is not the way," he added. "I think that ultimately, it will make the decision. The Iranian leadership will decide that the price of sticking with its [nuclear] program is more than it is willing to pay."
Lt. Gen. Gantz also discussed the northern border and called the situation in Syria "acute," stating that "the central government is fading, losing power… It is difficult to paint a picture of how the Syria of the future will look. We are closely tracking developments and are prepared for any possible aggression from that direction."
Additionally, Gantz addressed the possibility of chemical weapons falling into the hands of the Hizbullah terror organization. "The danger of a loss of control [over the weapons] is great, but I would stay level-headed regarding this matter," he said, also warning of the risk of getting pulled into a complex conflict.
The Chief of Staff warned Hizbullah against trying to attack Israeli targets. "Today, the IDF is massively more prepared than in the past to carry out a large-scale, multi-dimensional offensive against Hizbullah," he said. "I would not recommend that it try our power. That would hurt it to the point that it would understand with whom it is playing with and with what it is gambling."
He added, "If I needed to choose to be an Israeli citizen or a resident of Lebanon, I would quickly choose to be an Israeli citizen, who will receive not only justice in war but also good protection. Lebanon would be knocked back by decades after the next war; I really would not try us."
Regarding recent developments in Egypt, the Chief of Staff explained, "That is a state with which we have a peace agreement, and most of the activity that the Egyptians carry out in Sinai, they do with [our] consent. I would not rush to eulogize our peace agreement or to give up on it. It is a strategic assetto both countries."
With regard to the Hamas terror organization's control of Gaza, Lt. Gen. Gantz did not rule out the possibility of an offensive to stop the persistent rocket attacks on southern Israel. "I think there will be another offensive campaign in Gaza," he said. "The State of Israel decided to disengage from Gaza and not to stay there, but that does not mean that we don't need to go back to visit – if and when there is a need."
'Next 50 Days Most Fateful Since Yom Kippur War' – Hanegbi
Former Head of Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Tzachi Hanegbi, hints at timetable for Iran attack.
First Publish: Arutz Sheva - 9/6/2012, 9:54 PM
Tzachi Hanegbi
Flash 90
"We now stand, in my opinion, before the 50 most fateful days in Israel's history, since perhaps the Yom Kippur War, in which there were also several dozen fateful days."
So said the former Head of Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Tzachi Hanegbi, at a closed meeting of Likud activists in Yafo. A recording of his speech reached daily newspaper Makon Rishon's reporter, Ze'ev Kam.
"The prime minister will have to make decisions that will bear a price tag. Allowing Iranian nuclear weapons has a price tag. The practical result will be a nuclear arms race in the entire Middle East," he explained.
"Today, when we say that we understand the danger of the Iranian threat, and understand that a confrontation bears a price, it is because we want to prevent our sons and grandson from paying unbearable prices," he said.
Hanegbi, who left Likud for Kadima and is now back in Likud, called on the activists to support Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and to "allow him quiet" and "strengthen his legitimacy" so that he can take the necessary decisions calmly.
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Barak: US, Israel clocks ticking at different times on Iran
09/06/2012 20:50
Photo: Marc Israel Sellem
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Thursday evening that Israeli and US clocks are ticking at different times with regards to Iran.
"Israel will make its own decisions about future security," Barak said during a toast for the New Year of the Independence Party in Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds. He added that Israel should make no mistake about US preparations to deal with the Iranian challenge, saying: "the Iranian challenge is a mutual one, however, Israel and the US's clocks are ticking at different times."
Barak further emphasized that "Israel reserves the right to make sovereign decisions on Iran and the US respects that."
Earlier on Thursday Barak met with the US Army's vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff James Winnefeld, who is in Israel for a working visit. He has been holding meetings with his IDF and defense establishment counterparts on Israeli security and defense issues.
Meanwhile, former minister Tzachi Hanegbi said Thursday that Israel is facing 50 of the most fateful days in the history of the State of Israel, speculating about a potential Israeli military strike on Iran.
"Prime Minister [Binyamin Netanyahu] will have to make decisions, all of which will have costly repercussions," Hanegbi was quoted by Makor Rishon as saying. "When we say a [military] conflict has a price, we do so because we want to avoid making our children and grandchildren pay that price."
However, Hanegbi added, the alternative could also be costly. "Reconciling with a nuclear Iran has a cost, the practical implications of which would be a nuclear arms race in the entire Middle East."
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