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| 29/08/2008 Israel will not agree to allow Iran to achieve nuclear weapons and if the grains start running out in the proverbial egg timer, the Israeli government will not hesitate to take whatever means necessary to prevent Iran from achieving its nuclear goals, the government has recently decided in a special discussion, the Jerusalem Post reported on Friday quoting the Israeli daily Ma'ariv.
According to Ma'ariv, whether the United States and Western countries will succeed in toppling the Iranian regime diplomatically, through sanctions, or whether an American strike on Iran will eventually be decided upon, the Israeli government has put preparations for a separate, independent military strike by Israel in high gear.
So far, Israel has not received American authorization to use US-controlled Iraqi airspace, nor has the defense establishment been successful in securing the purchase of advanced US-made warplanes which could facilitate an Israeli strike.
The Americans have offered Israel permission to use a global early warning radar system, implying that the US is pushing Israel to settle for defensive measures only. The Jerusalem Post reported that because of Israel's lack of strategic depth, the Israeli government has consistently warned over the past years it will not settle for a 'wait and see' approach and retaliate in case of attack, but rather use preemption to prevent any risk of being hit in the first place.
Ephraim Sneh a veteran Labor MK which has left the party recently, has sent a document to both US presidential candidates, John McCain and Barack Obama. The eight-point document states that "there is no government in Jerusalem that would ever reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran. When it is clear Iran is on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons, an Israeli military strike to prevent this will be seriously considered."
According to Ma'ariv, Sneh offered the two candidates the "sane, cheap and the only option that does not necessitate bloodshed." To prevent Iran's nuclear aspirations, Sneh wrote, "real" sanctions applied in concert by the US and Europe is necessary. The window of opportunity Sneh suggests is a year and a half to two years, until 2010.
Sneh also visited Switzerland and Austria last week in an attempt to lobby those two states. Both countries have announced massive long-term investments in Iranian gas and oil fields for the next decade
Hearing his hosts speak of their future investments, Sneh replied quietly "it's a shame, because Ido will light all this up." He was referring to Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan, the recently appointed commander of the Israeli Air Force and the man most likely to be the one to orchestrate Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, should this become the necessity, the JPost said.
"Investing in Iran in 2008," Sneh told his Austrian hosts, "is like investing in Krups Steelworks in 1938, it's a high risk investment." The Austrians, according to Sneh, turned pale.
..................................................................................................................................... Nahum Chapter 1 | א מַשָּׂא, נִינְוֵה--סֵפֶר חֲזוֹן נַחוּם, הָאֶלְקֹשִׁי. | 1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. | | ב אֵל קַנּוֹא וְנֹקֵם יְהוָה, נֹקֵם יְהוָה וּבַעַל חֵמָה; נֹקֵם יְהוָה לְצָרָיו, וְנוֹטֵר הוּא לְאֹיְבָיו. | 2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God, the LORD avengeth and is full of wrath; the LORD taketh vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserveth wrath for His enemies. | | ג יְהוָה, אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וגדול- (וּגְדָל-) כֹּחַ, וְנַקֵּה, לֹא יְנַקֶּה; יְהוָה, בְּסוּפָה וּבִשְׂעָרָה דַּרְכּוֹ, וְעָנָן, אֲבַק רַגְלָיו. | 3 The LORD is long-suffering, and great in power, and will by no means clear the guilty; the LORD, in the whirlwind and in the storm is His way, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. | | ד גּוֹעֵר בַּיָּם וַיַּבְּשֵׁהוּ, וְכָל-הַנְּהָרוֹת הֶחֱרִיב; אֻמְלַל בָּשָׁן וְכַרְמֶל, וּפֶרַח לְבָנוֹן אֻמְלָל. | 4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers; Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. | | ה הָרִים רָעֲשׁוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהַגְּבָעוֹת הִתְמֹגָגוּ; וַתִּשָּׂא הָאָרֶץ מִפָּנָיו, וְתֵבֵל וְכָל-יוֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ. | 5 The mountains quake at Him, and the hills melt; and the earth is upheaved at His presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. | | ו לִפְנֵי זַעְמוֹ מִי יַעֲמוֹד, וּמִי יָקוּם בַּחֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ; חֲמָתוֹ נִתְּכָה כָאֵשׁ, וְהַצֻּרִים נִתְּצוּ מִמֶּנּוּ. | 6 Who can stand before His indignation? And who can abide in the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken asunder before Him. | | ז טוֹב יְהוָה, לְמָעוֹז בְּיוֹם צָרָה; וְיֹדֵעַ, חֹסֵי בוֹ. | 7 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that take refuge in Him. | | ח וּבְשֶׁטֶף עֹבֵר, כָּלָה יַעֲשֶׂה מְקוֹמָהּ; וְאֹיְבָיו, יְרַדֶּף-חֹשֶׁךְ. | 8 But with an overrunning flood He will make a full end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue His enemies. | | ט מַה-תְּחַשְּׁבוּן, אֶל-יְהוָה--כָּלָה, הוּא עֹשֶׂה; לֹא-תָקוּם פַּעֲמַיִם, צָרָה. | 9 What do ye devise against the LORD? He will make a full end; trouble shall not rise up the second time. | | י כִּי עַד-סִירִים סְבֻכִים, וּכְסָבְאָם סְבוּאִים; אֻכְּלוּ--כְּקַשׁ יָבֵשׁ, מָלֵא. | 10 For though they be like tangled thorns, and be drunken according to their drink, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry. | | יא מִמֵּךְ יָצָא, חֹשֵׁב עַל-יְהוָה רָעָה--יֹעֵץ, בְּלִיָּעַל. {ס} | 11 Out of thee came he forth, that deviseth evil against the LORD, that counselleth wickedness. {S} | | יב כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה, אִם-שְׁלֵמִים וְכֵן רַבִּים, וְכֵן נָגוֹזּוּ, וְעָבָר; וְעִנִּתִךְ--לֹא אֲעַנֵּךְ, עוֹד. | 12 Thus saith the LORD: Though they be in full strength, and likewise many, even so shall they be cut down, and he shall pass away; and though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more. | | יג וְעַתָּה, אֶשְׁבֹּר מֹטֵהוּ מֵעָלָיִךְ; וּמוֹסְרֹתַיִךְ, אֲנַתֵּק. | 13 And now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder. | | יד וְצִוָּה עָלֶיךָ יְהוָה, לֹא-יִזָּרַע מִשִּׁמְךָ עוֹד; מִבֵּית אֱלֹהֶיךָ אַכְרִית פֶּסֶל וּמַסֵּכָה, אָשִׂים קִבְרֶךָ--כִּי קַלּוֹתָ. {פ} | 14 And the LORD hath given commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown; out of the house of thy god will I cut off the graven image and the molten image; I will make thy grave; for thou art become worthless. {P} |
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