Netanyahu Government On Lockdown As Chance to Attack Iran's Nuclear Facilities Is Running Out Fast
Michael Kelley |
May 17, 2012, 2:37 PM
Translation by Autumnson Blog
The mood in Jerusalem is hardening as Israel is running out of time to decide whether or not to launch an attack on Iran's nuclear program, reports Michael Stott of Reuters.
耶路撒冷的情緒在硬化，因為以色列正在用完時間來決定是否發動一項就伊朗核計劃的攻擊，路透社的邁克爾·斯托特報導說。
儘管有沉重的國際壓力，伊朗繼續鈾豐富來作他們所說是和平的目的，而以色列和西方擔心德黑蘭正在越來越接近製造一顆原子彈。
Experts told Reuters that most of Iran's nuclear program — which Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considers an existential threat to the state of Israel — will be buried deep underground within a few months, thereby making a strike even riskier and more difficult than it already is.
專家告訴路透，大部的伊朗的核計劃 - 那以色列總理大臣本傑明·內塔尼亞胡認為是一項對以色列國的存在威脅 - 將在短短幾個月內被埋在地下深處，從而使襲擊比現在甚至更高風險和更加困難。
Consequently, Netanyahu's government is on lockdown — recent public pronouncements are no longer warning of a strike but instead are reiterating President Barack Obama's position that diplomatic pressure and economic sanctions should be given time to work.
結果地，內塔尼亞胡的政府在鎖定目標 - 最近的公開聲明是不再警告襲擊，但取而代之的是重申奧巴馬總統的立場，即外交壓力和經濟制裁應被給予時間工作。
But Netanyahu has also been making moves to consolidate power: last week he reached a deal to join forces with the opposition Kadima party and its Iranian-born Gen. leader Shaul Mofaz, which gives the coalition 94 out of 120 in the Knesset (i.e. Israel's house of representatives).
The move concerns American officials who were expecting Israeli elections in September because now there is little to stop Netanyahu from ordering an attack.
Nevertheless Netanyahu seems to have American support as U.S. ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro told Israeli Army radio this week that the option of using preemptive military force against Iran is "ready" and "fully available" (despite the fact that the action would be a violation of U.S. and international law).
At least one senior Israeli official thinks that Netanyahu has already made a decision.
From Reuters:
"I think they have made a decision to attack," said one senior Israeli figure with close ties to the leadership. "It is going to happen. The window of opportunity is before the U.S. presidential election in November. This way they will bounce the Americans into supporting them."
Many military analysts believe that the only way to effectively hinder Iran's nuclear program is with the full help of the U.S. military, but President Obama reportedly promised Netanyahu essential military equipment only if he agreed to postpone an attack until after the U.S. elections.
The implications of Netanyahu's decision are enormous because an U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran would undoubtedly rattle the entire Middle East and could bring unintended and devastating consequences, such as retaliations from Iran's proxy militias in Lebanon (i.e. Hezbollah) and the Gaza strip (i.e. Hamas) who have rockets that could reach major Israeli cities.
From a Reuters story in February:
"America knows that if there is a war on Iran, this means that the whole region will be set alight, with no limit to the fires," Hezbollah deputy Sheikh Naim Qassem told Reuters… "Israel could start a war ... but it does not know the scale of the consequences and it is incapable of controlling them."
Thus the fact that Obama's reported preferences are in direct contrast with Netanyahu's reality put the commander in chief in a very difficult position.
http://www.businessinsider.com/israel-attack-iran-time-running-out-2012-5#ixzz1v9hsyvjg
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