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Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh: Sanctions against Iran will not succeed. (Archives) Last update - 17:26 11/11/2006 Iran complains to UN Security Council over Sneh comments By Haaretz Service and the Associated Press Iran filed a complaint Saturday to the UN Security Council over remarks by Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh that Israel must be ready to prevent Iran's nuclear program "at all costs." Iran's ambassador to the UN, Javad Zarif, submitted the complaint to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. It stated that the council must censure Israel over the threat, and called Israel a terror state that must be stopped. Sneh suggested in comments published Friday that Israel might be forced to launch a military strike against Iran's nuclear program - the clearest statement yet of this possibility from a high-ranking Israeli official. Advertisement "I am not advocating an Israeli pre-emptive military action against Iran and I am aware of its possible repercussions," Sneh, of the Labor Party, told The Jerusalem Post daily. "I consider it a last resort. But even the last resort is sometimes the only resort," he said. Sneh's tough talk is the boldest to date by a high-ranking Israeli official. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other leaders frequently discuss the Iranian threat in grave terms, but stop short of discussing military action against Tehran. The former Israel Defense Forces brigadier general told the paper that Israel cannot afford "living under a dark cloud of fear from a leader committed to its destruction." Under such a threat, he said, "most Israelis would prefer not to live here; most Jews would prefer not to come here with their families; and Israelis who can live abroad will." "People are not enthusiastic about being scorched," he said. Sneh said Israel's greatest possible danger could be Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's ability "to kill the Zionist dream without pushing a button. That's why we must prevent this regime from obtaining nuclear capability at all costs." Ahmadinejad has previously called for Israel to be "wiped off the map," and has expressed doubts that the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were murdered, took place. The deputy minister said that while he hopes that efficient sanctions would be imposed by the international community against Iran, "the chances are not high... My working assumption is that they won't succeed." Government spokeswoman Miri Eisin said Sneh's comments did not necessarily reflect the view of the government or Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Israel crippled Iraq's nuclear program 25 years ago with an airstrike on its unfinished nuclear reactor at Osiraq. Experts say Iran has learned from Iraq's mistakes, scattering its nuclear facilities and building some underground Bookmark to del.icio.us   Power to the people Egypt plans to provide all of Gaza's electricity, to wean dependency on Israel. Calculated escalation Hamas has been trying for some time to create a balance of deterrence with Israel.   1.   Israel should attack if it feels like 13:55  |  Stephen Murray 10/11/06   2.   Why does Iran want to wipe out Israel? 13:59  |  Hanoman 10/11/06   3.   Another budding Dr Strangelove ... 14:01  |  Bruno 10/11/06   4.   To avoid any such attack the international community can be more 14:08  |  Nadav 10/11/06   5.   To TSOI 14:12  |  imad 10/11/06   6.   If Hezbollah kicked ur a** 14:15  |  Lebanese in Canada 10/11/06   7.   How? 14:17  |  W 10/11/06   8.   Sneh`s view 14:32  |  Brod 10/11/06   9.   Iran should strike Israel pre-pre-emptively... 14:33  |  American Taxpayer 10/11/06   10.   Finally someone who says the truth 14:33  |  Jonathan S 10/11/06   11.   The international community? 14:37  |  Alberto 10/11/06   12.   A frank answer to Hanoman in Denmark 14:38  |  Jonathan S 10/11/06   13.   Possible Iranian Attack 14:39  |  Yoav 10/11/06   14.   How 14:42  |  Hy Klein 10/11/06   15.   Hanoman`s Question, #2 14:45  |  Akiva Patysh 10/11/06   16.   Be careful 14:56  |  Sylvain 10/11/06   17.   But even the last resort is sometimes the only resort 15:01  |  Guy From NYC 10/11/06   18.   American-Taxpayer 15:04  |  Brod 10/11/06   19.   STEPHEN MURRAY WOULD BE HAPPY (#1) 15:17  |  Claude 10/11/06   20.   Pre-Emptive Strike Unavoidable 15:21  |  Terry 10/11/06   21.   To Lebanese 15:22  |  Hansje 10/11/06   22.   bravo yoav 15:25  |  may 10/11/06   23.   The worst imaginable thing 15:26  |  Druid 10/11/06   24.   It may sounds strange, but "hater Swiss" sticks with Israel ..... 15:26  |  Swiss 10/11/06   25.   Lebanese in Canada you do talk ... 15:27  |  British academic 10/11/06   26.   And We Ask Ourselves Why Iran Wants Nuclear Power?? 15:27  |  Yaakov Suyllivan 10/11/06   27.   The palace coup 15:28  |  Mark Lincoln 10/11/06   28.   4 international comm. and zionits chestnuts 15:29  |  Moises Maimonides 10/11/06   29.   Reasonable 15:30  |  Jerry--NJ 10/11/06   30.   Not going to happen 15:35  |  Chris Linthwaite 10/11/06   31.   Af Jonathan S 15:38  |  Hanoman 10/11/06   32.   Shouldn?t Iran be concern? 15:39  |  Martinez 10/11/06   33.   The repurcussions 15:43  |  George Goldman 10/11/06   34.   Israel doesnt have the capability 15:57  |  zionist forever 10/11/06   35.   Israel agitating for further warfare. 16:02  |  Ibrahim 10/11/06   36.   Don`t worry Steven Murray, Israel will defend itself 16:04  |  Richard 10/11/06   37.   A nuclear attack on TelAviv would destroy Palestine too 16:06  |  Dave 10/11/06   38.   I DARE YOU! 16:06  |  Bert 10/11/06   39.   To lebanese in Canda, that`s a rhetorical question of course 16:07  |  Richard 10/11/06   40.   The repurcussions 16:07  |  George Goldman 10/11/06   41.   Sneh: for God`s sake shut your stupid mouth 16:23  |  Clickfool 10/11/06   42.   To Zionist Forever: Don’t be afraid 16:27  |  Jonathan S 10/11/06   43.   My advice to the President of Iran 16:30  |  Clickfool 10/11/06   44.   Reply to Hanoman 16:31  |  vrazek 10/11/06   45.   Reply: Israel doesn`t have capability 16:35  |  JC 10/11/06   46.   For Claude in Bordeaux # 15 16:44  |  Clickfool 10/11/06   47.   this guy is just another warmonger 16:47  |  Sam (UK) 10/11/06   48.   Israel won`t attack iran 16:57  |  Arad Kaye 10/11/06   49.   MURRAY will approve a virtual Israel to retaliate if attacked 1st 16:59  |  Andre 10/11/06   50.   Good for the goose... 17:00  |  Gerald Gibson 10/11/06   51.   Reasonable - Yes and More Sabre Rattling 17:02  |  Peter Wallace 10/11/06   52.   "Yaakov" #22 17:03  |  Danite 10/11/06   53.   You all miss the point 17:09  |  Allon 10/11/06   54.   #23, Mark Lincoln 17:12  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/11/06   55.   Merkava Tank Lost - Lebanese War - Hansje 17:16  |  Peter Wallace 10/11/06   56.   Claude 17:23  |  Sam 10/11/06   57.   go ahead, attack 17:24  |  Space 10/11/06   58.   Iran is clear danger 17:24  |  Let`s do them in 10/11/06   59.   make my day 17:30  |  emad matahin 10/11/06   60.   Israel seeking to be erased from the face of earth 17:32  |  Harrak 10/11/06   61.   #6 17:32  |  Jane 10/11/06   62.   Iran 17:35  |  G. Ron 10/11/06   63.   British Academic 17:39  |  James M 10/11/06   64.   If Israel Attacks Iran? 17:39  |  Rob 10/11/06   65.   Israel may be forced to attack Iran 17:41  |  Galvin Templar 10/11/06   66.   Why not try to cut a deal first? 17:41  |  Ziad 10/11/06   67.   sneh = bush 17:44  |  yosi 10/11/06   68.   Iran attack??? 17:46  |  Joe 10/11/06   69.   Iran 17:50  |  Concerned American 10/11/06   70.   N o a p o c a l y p s e y e t???.. 17:50  |  H.H.M 10/11/06   71.   N o a p o c a l y p s e y e t???.. 17:51  |  H.H.M 10/11/06   72.   Hanoman...why Iran hates Israel 17:52  |  Gaza Mo 10/11/06   73.