Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., July 23, 2008 Tamuz 20, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:56 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 10:19 20/07/2008 The bombers took off at dawn By Uzi Benziman Tags: nuclear, Israel, Iran His thoughts lead one to believe that the idea is to ensure that the decision-making process not be left to one person, irrespective of his seniority, but rather that a small group of functionaries from both the political and professional spheres be involved in giving the final go-ahead. Each stage before the moment of truth will be carefully weighed and the green light to attack cannot be implemented on the ground without input from a number of officials. None of what has been described thus far has been put into effect recently, as we have seen in the way Israel has responded publicly to the Iranian president's threats to obliterate it and his comments pointing to his country's accelerated efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Israeli threats and warnings of escalation do not project level-headedness and self-control but rather jitteriness and irascibility. Just to refresh our memories: This past April 7, former defense minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said an Iranian attack on Israel would elicit a response so fierce that it would cause the Iranians' destruction. Two months later, Ben-Eliezer let it be known that Iran would be destroyed if it attacked Israel. Next on the hit parade was Shaul Mofaz, Ben-Eliezer's successor as defense minister and also a former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, who on June 8 declared that an Israeli strike on Iran was inevitable. Advertisement As if that were not enough, word of a large-scale exercise by the Israel Air Force over Greece, apparently meant to simulate an attack on targets in Iran, was leaked to The New York Times last month. The low point came with news of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's secret yet widely reported visit to the Dimona nuclear research facility. Two things are possible: Either these statements and events are unplanned and purely coincidental, or they result from a carefully orchestrated plan to prepare Israel for an existential threat. If the former is valid, then the government's dereliction of duty has reached unprecedented heights regarding a matter considered one of the most sensitive of all affairs of state. If the latter is true, then the formula used to cope with once-in-a-lifetime, dire situations in which a threat to the state's existence casts its shadow is not only haphazardly put together, but also applied in increments that do not adequately meet the challenge of an existential security threat. In any event, the result is not favorable. On the one hand, the international community appears to be working toward appeasing Iran rather than confronting it. On the other hand, Israel either appears gripped by a sense of extreme panic, or as a country whose position on the Iranian nuclear program is based on a bluff ("If you don't hold me back, I'm going to attack"). The government's conduct on this matter makes us yearn for an approach espoused by former Mossad chief Ephraim Halevi, who last October said: "The Iranian threat is significant but it's not existential. The State of Israel is not in danger of destruction." Israel's interest is to frustrate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's plans to portray it as the only pretext giving his country the right to nuclear weapons. An Iranian bomb threatens the Gulf States more than it does Israel, and it is a danger to world peace and global stability more so than to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Israel must take steps to prompt the American president to enlist the international community in an effort to stop uranium enrichment in Iranian facilities. Israel mustn't, however, put the U.S. in a position as the only friend who will stand by its side in the event of an attack by Tehran. In any event, an impressive fleet of fighter jets capable of traveling 1,500 kilometers eastward to carry out a preemptive strike looks less relevant to Israel's interests than correctly handling a far more sensitive issue: the Palestinians. Before bombing Iran, it would be best to solve the conflict with the Palestinians. By the way, there does appear to be a link between the two threats. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Baptism by fire Bradley Burston offers 10 Mideast traps for Barack Obama to avoid. A second life 'Exodus' passenger makes aliyah six decades after being turned away.   1.   I`d Be Apprehensive... 10:50  |  Yosemite 20/07/08   2.   But there is no Iranian Bomb, Just Israeli Bombs 11:25  |  Johan Odin 20/07/08   3.   Iran will not overcome Israel. Greed will overcome Israel. 11:46  |  Natallie Durson 20/07/08   4.   well im not threatened 11:59  |  citizen of the world 20/07/08   5.   Mr Benziman. You must be JOKING 12:25  |  Aln Fitzgeald 20/07/08   6.   Mr Uzi Benziman, 12:38  |  Will. Coalman. 20/07/08   7.   Hot, steaming, freshly delivered buffalo droppings 13:32  |  Clickfool 20/07/08   8.   #3nutullie and the divorce between fact and fiction 13:51  |  victor hardman 20/07/08   9.   To Victor Hardman 14:15  |  John 20/07/08   10.   More Advice from Benziman the Osloist & Itnatkutist 14:19  |  Oiy Va Voiy 20/07/08   11.   Depends, which dog barks and which dog bites. 14:44  |  Stephen. 20/07/08   12.   If not directed at Israel why than.... 14:50  |  Peter Mall 20/07/08   13.   to #2 14:59  |  Shmuelshachor 20/07/08   14.   OK, TWO BOMBS, ONE FOR IRAN, ONE FOR GAZA. 15:15  |  petra 20/07/08   15.   Shmuelshachor pumping out old Zionist propaganda # 13 15:28  |  Clickfool 20/07/08   16.   rubbish...!!!! 15:32  |  ravi 20/07/08   17.   Future1 15:49  |  Iran and the bomb 20/07/08   18.   UZI BENZIMAN THREATEN ISRAEL MORE HE DOES TO TEHERAN 15:54  |  indrajaya 20/07/08   19.   #18 Indy 16:22  |  Marc 20/07/08   20.   # 19, MARC 16:49  |  indrajaya 20/07/08   21.   petra 17:02  |  terry 20/07/08   22.   Natallie Durson: 17:15  |  Keith 20/07/08   23.   Please Mr. Please 17:23  |  Baz Mann 20/07/08   24.   to johan odin 17:46  |  Watcher 20/07/08   25.   Non connection 17:55  |  arik 20/07/08   26.   hey hey 18:15  |  bellaiche nessim 20/07/08   27.   Biggest threat of an Iranian bomb is to IRAN 18:45  |  Iranian-american 20/07/08   28.   Baz Mann #23: what you`re ignoring - 19:06  |  ivo 20/07/08   29.   Baz Mann #23: an addition - 19:15  |  ivo 20/07/08   30.   Fool, Iran won`t let Israel come to agreement with Palestinians! 19:32  |  McQueen 20/07/08   31.   To Petra 19:32  |  David James Vickery 20/07/08   32.   Which one is a threat Iran or Israel? 19:35  |  Nemat 20/07/08   33.   Israel Is Real Threat To Region 19:43  |  Gray 20/07/08   34.   #18. Are you speaking of your personal experience? 19:44  |  ManintheMiddle 20/07/08   35.   David James Vickery, you are wasting your time 19:52  |  Mark B. 20/07/08   36.   USA & Israel War Games Have Done Their Job 19:52  |  PK 20/07/08   37.   not if, only when 19:56  |  Arthur 20/07/08   38.   Iranian-American #27: nobody threatened Iran in the first place - 20:26  |  ivo 20/07/08   39.   #34, your assumptions are wrong 20:34  |  Michael 20/07/08   40.   33 Gray,thanks for using the phrase `60 year Occupation` and not 20:46  |  lakshmi 20/07/08   41.   # 39, MICHAEL 20:56  |  indrajaya 20/07/08   42.   Ivo in Prague re threat from Iran 21:07  |  Iranian-american 20/07/08   43.   Benziman - In His Own Dreamworld 21:27  |  Tod Zuckerman 20/07/08   44.   Iranian-american #:42: a lot to be said about that - 23:38  |  ivo 20/07/08   45.   iranian american,first you should consider yourself 23:56  |  terrornator 20/07/08   46.   45 terorrnator,are you an American citizen? 00:10  |  lakshmi 21/07/08   47.   World has more to fear from Israel than Iran 00:16  |  Ivar 21/07/08   48.   Hey Israel 00:47  |  nuke of earl 21/07/08   49.   JUST HOW STUPID DOES THE US/DIVIDED NATIONS THINK A/MAD/JAD IS;HE 01:38  |  glenna 21/07/08   50.   WHAT AN IDIOT BENZIMAN IS !!! 02:27  |  Fortuna Benmayor 21/07/08   51.   you`re scared mister 02:42  |  Proud Iranian 21/07/08   52.   What A CROCK OF BULLSH........ 02:48  |  Jorge 21/07/08   53.   Odin get your facts right 02:52  |  Truth 21/07/08   54.   terrornator # 45 03:41  |  American in NY 21/07/08   55.   Ivo, I do NOT disagree !!! and to Terrornator 03:45  |  Iranian-american 21/07/08   56.   Lakshmi (#40) 04:32  |  jjvanka 21/07/08   57.   Fortuna (#50) 04:42  |  jjvanka 21/07/08   58.   Benziman`s analysis of the situation 04:44  |  Brod 21/07/08   59.   Iranian-American; Thanks... 04:45  |  Gray 21/07/08   60.   To Glenna in Alaska 04:47  |  David James Vickery 21/07/08   61.   To Clickfool from Sussex 05:30  |  Ricardo Levy 21/07/08   62.   Iran`s method of killing women accused of adultry 06:19  |  Voice of Reason 21/07/08   63.   To AiNY (#54) 08:00  |  Morris Valentine 21/07/08   64.   Benziman does not understand the nature of the threat 08:05  |  Shalom Freedman 21/07/08   65.   For Ricardo Levy on the Falklands # 61 09:22  |  Clickfool 21/07/08   66.   Morris valentine # 44 14:29  |  American in NY 21/07/08   67.   lakshmi,what country are you a citizen of? 16:20  |  terrornator 21/07/08   68.   Lakshmi # 46 re: terrornator 20:56  |  American in NY 21/07/08   69.   Morris valentine, General Commanding 01:55  |  American in NY 22/07/08   70.   To AiNY (#66): On loyalties 06:52  |  Morris Valentine 22/07/08   71.   Morris On Loyalties # 70 15:50  |  American in NY 22/07/08

Read & React Bradley Burston: Ten Mideast traps for Obama to avoid Responses: 52 Israel keen to crack down on East Jerusalem Responses: 29 'No excuses,' says visiting Obama about bulldozer terrorist Responses: 23 Hezbollah chief to UN: Ready to swap more prisoners with Israel Responses: 18 Akiva Eldar: Divide J'lem, for the sake of the Jewish state Responses: 5 Aluf Benn: Israel's slap in the face from America Responses: 8 More Headlines 10:54 Obama kicks off packed Israel trip in flurry of talks 05:51 ANALYSIS / Obama visiting Israel to impress Jewish voters, not Israelis 07:28 Israel keen to crack down on East Jerusalem 08:27 ANALYSIS / Timing of second Jerusalem bulldozer attack was amazing 09:20 Hezbollah chief to UN: Ready to swap more prisoners with Israel 10:37 Talansky to Haaretz: Olmert most astute politician I've met 10:07 Goodbye Golden Girl: Comic actress Estelle Getty dies at 84 10:48 Hundreds turn out for Tel Aviv rally in honor of Gilad Shalit 04:55 Iran hackers target Israeli Web site over message by Jewish group 09:18 Senior IDF officer seriously hurt after jeep flips over in south 09:23 UN: Violence in Gaza dropping, peace developments on rise 09:47 Livni: When I'm PM, I want a unity coalition with Labor and Likud 01:48 Olmert government to hold first meeting on global jihad Wednesday 05:31 Man ordered to pay wife NIS 55,000 for refusing to divorce her 06:50 New Clean Air legislation sees heavy fines, jail for polluters Previous Editions Select Day 22 jul 21 jul 20 jul 18 jul 17 jul 16 jul 15 jul 14 jul 13 jul 11 jul 10 jul 09 jul

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Dan Hotels Israel Live the Legend & experience an Unforgettable Summer Vacation Yossi Avrahami Presents: New Luxurious Projects in North Tel Aviv & Eilat Holyland Park Jerusalem Apartment Tower World Class Luxury Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved