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Last update - 09:18 16/12/2007
Dichter slams U.S. 'misconception' of Iranian nuclear threat
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Iran, nuclear weapons 

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter criticized the new United States intelligence assessment on Iran's nuclear program, saying it could lead to a disastrous miscalculation similar to Israel's failure to anticipate Egypt and Syria's surprise invasion in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

During a town hall meeting in Holon on Saturday, Dichter called the National Intelligence Estimate an "American misconception concerning Iran's nuclear weapons, which is liable to lead to a regional Yom Kippur [War] where Israel will be among the countries that are threatened."

The NIE, released earlier this month, said Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003, and that the program remains on hold.
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Dichter said it is unfortunate that Israel has failed to impress upon Washington just how imminent the threat of Iranian nuclear weapons is.

"Something went wrong in the American blueprint for analyzing the severity of the Iranian nuclear threat," Dichter said. "We have to hope that the U.S. will know to correct this. Israel and other states must help in any way including providing intelligence material so as to fix this miscalculation."

"A misconception by the world's leading superpower is not just an internal American occurrence," the former Shin Bet chief said. "This has to cause concern in Israel and many other countries."

Dichter added that the NIE's conclusions are also likely to impact the dynamics of negotiations with the Palestinians.

"The U.S. has been authorized to be the arbiter that determines whether the Palestinians are fulfilling their road map obligations on all matters relating to combating terrorism," the public security minister said. "Those same [intelligence] arms in the U.S. are apt to make a mistake and declare that the Palestinians have fulfilled their commitments, which would carry with it very serious consequences from Israel's vantage point."

Dichter also addressed the possibility of a peace agreement with Syria.

"There is no deal with Syria without [Israel] retreating from the Golan," he said. "Whoever wants [a peace agreement] knows that we would have to withdraw from the Golan and the question would then be what will be the guarantees Israel would receive under these circumstances."

On the question of negotiations with Hamas, the minister left little doubt whether government policy would change any time soon.

"There's nothing to talk about with Hamas in Gaza because this is an organization of murderers," Dichter added. "We have to create a deterrence in Gaza that will lead to a halt of Qassam fire in any way possible."

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      1.   A radical suggestion 14:45  |  Wendy 15/12/07
      2.   What Went Wrong 15:13  |  Mark of Lewiston 15/12/07
      3.   Iranian Nuclear Threat 15:17  |  David James Vickery 15/12/07
      4.   Poor fellow! 15:45  |  Splightly 15/12/07
      5.   People listen to this WAR CRIMINAL? 15:46  |  POP 15/12/07
      6.   us misconception 15:49  |  marcel 15/12/07
      7.   War Criminal spreading FEAR to religious radicals 15:51  |  POP 15/12/07
      8.   HI, DICTER, YOU REMIND ME OF GAZA`S WOMEN AND CHILDREN 15:53  |  indrajaya 15/12/07
      9.   Dichter the murderer 15:53  |  Sam (UK) 15/12/07
      10.   Israel is too late 16:23  |  Clickfool 15/12/07
      11.   If (big IF) Iran is so dangerous, fix the problem 16:46  |  spyguy 15/12/07
      12.   Dichter the war criminal 16:57  |  Paul Wood 15/12/07
      13.   Right on target 17:04  |  Brod 15/12/07
      14.   To so-called spyguy 17:17  |  Frank 15/12/07
      15.   To #127 Good Idea 17:21  |  Frank 15/12/07
      16.   Let me tell you who war criminals are 17:33  |  Dan 15/12/07
      17.   The Master of Assasinations 17:48  |  Kris 15/12/07
      18.   Paul Wood _ Who Accused Dichter of War Crimes 18:03  |  Eli 15/12/07
      19.   Paul Wood # 12- Re the UK and war crimes 18:29  |  Phinias Whoppy 15/12/07
      20.   its obvious really 18:32  |  An American 15/12/07
      21.   More BS from a war criminal and child killer. 18:47  |  Labhras 15/12/07
      22.   think before you talk 19:00  |  codename: hertzel 15/12/07
      23.   retreating from the Golan"" BULSHIT" 19:18  |  reuven 15/12/07
      24.   This guy is a war criminal,the sooner he is tried the better for 19:21  |  lakshmi 15/12/07
      25.   #10 Clickfool No Colin Poweel to run interference 19:31  |  Labhras 15/12/07
      26.   Yom Kippur Wars ... 19:31  |  Soldiers 15/12/07
      27.   Israeli Gov`t = Panel of War Criminals? 20:02  |  POP 15/12/07
      28.   #15 Eli 20:04  |  Paul Wood 15/12/07
      29.   More on a radical suggestion 20:11  |  Jim 15/12/07
      30.   Heil Dicter! 20:28  |  DoubleClick 15/12/07
      31.   Misconception? 20:29  |  Jim 15/12/07
      32.   USA 20:57  |  Cheops 15/12/07
      33.   Israel should send a U-boat to Persian Gulf 21:11  |  Motke Chabad 15/12/07
      34.   Not too late CLickfool 21:11  |  Uncle Sam 15/12/07
      35.   Dichter, American people are awake... 21:15  |  AntiZionist 15/12/07
      36.   Cry, Whine, Bleat, Israel - It Will Make No Difference 21:17  |  chet 15/12/07
      37.   #11 spyguy 21:23  |  Jim 15/12/07
      38.   Israel needs to grow up a lot! Stop running to the christians 21:37  |  White Man 15/12/07
      39.   Dichter 21:49  |  Mike 15/12/07
      40.   Paul Wood # 28_ Never Trust A People Who Have To Wear 22:06  |  Eli 15/12/07
      41.   What does it mean? 22:14  |  mikeber 15/12/07
      42.   Dichter slams U.S. `misconception` of Iranian nuclear threat 22:16  |  Sharonelle 15/12/07
      43.   never say `never` again: iran will be fried before summer. 23:03  |  patel 15/12/07
      44.   Frank #14 23:13  |  Veritas 15/12/07
      45.   "Something went wrong with the American blue print." 23:16  |  Maureen Ann 15/12/07
      46.   Jim #29 23:19  |  Veritas 15/12/07
      47.   how POMPOUS can the man possibly be? 23:23  |  eric 15/12/07
      48.   # 11 to the spyguy in san francisco 23:36  |  eric 15/12/07
      49.   22#codename: hertzel/ it will help if you think before u talk 23:37  |  Sam (UK) 15/12/07
      50.   # 34 oh gimme a break, uncle sam! 00:07  |  eric 16/12/07
      51.   # 3. Youre way out dude. 00:15  |  Stephen. 16/12/07
      52.   For Motke Chabad # 33 00:19  |  Clickfool 16/12/07
      53.   Isolating Iran ------------- Conflict 00:31  |  emad matahin 16/12/07
      54.   #38 white man 01:19  |  Moishe Kadish 16/12/07
      55.   #51, clickfoot mac 01:25  |  Motke Chabad 16/12/07
      56.   Motke Chabadnik_ Kol Hakavod 06:27  |  Eli 16/12/07
      57.   A radical suggestion 00:16  |  Joe 17/12/07
      58.   Putin & Ahmadinejad 00:49  |  Kelli 17/12/07
      59.   STOP!! 02:07  |  larry 17/12/07
      60.   How ridiculous the Israeli response. 03:49  |  joebhed 17/12/07
      61.   Larry! Wow! That long! 04:10  |  joebhed 17/12/07
      62.   Here`s a thought, Dichter.... 04:55  |  Johnboy 17/12/07
      63.   It goes back way before hitler 05:45  |  larry 17/12/07
      64.   one more thing 05:56  |  larry 17/12/07
      65.   What it ACTUALLY says - the NIE 15:59  |  joebhed 17/12/07
      66.   So sorry jobhead 01:23  |  larry 18/12/07
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