• Published 01:21 27.02.10
  • Latest update 08:33 27.02.10

Barak: A nuclear Iran threatens world stability

U.S. Secretary of State Clinton discusses revival of peace talks, easing of Gaza blockade with Barak.

By Haaretz Service and Reuters Tags: Hillary Clinton Israel news Gaza Middle East peace

Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Friday said that the threat of a nuclear Iran poses a challenge for the international community, not just for Israel.

"I can hardly think of a stable world order with a nuclear Iran," Barak said during a speech at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, according to media reports. "What is really needed is significant sanctions, effective ones, within a time limit."

Barak also said he doubts Iran would launch a nuclear attack against Israel, but warned that a nuclear-armed Iran could destabilize the Middle East, disrupt oil supplies and strengthen Hezbollah and Hamas, which Iran sponsors financially and militarily.

"I don't think the Iranians, even if they got the bomb, are going to drop it in the neighborhood," Barak said.

"They fully understand what might follow. They are radical but not total 'meshugah,'" said Barak, using the Yiddish word for crazy. "They have a quite sophisticated decision-making process and they understand realities."

Barak said Israel appreciates the U.S. push for "effective" sanctions against Iran, within a limited time frame, but said the international community must prepare for "the possibility that in spite of all effort, it will not lead to Iran accepting the international norms."

"Iran is not living up to its responsibilities and we are working with our partners in the international community to increase pressure on Iran to change course," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during a photo op with the Defense Minister.

Barak also discussed the revivial of Mideast peace talks and the humanitarian situation in Gaza during his meeting Friday with Clinton.

Clinton also pressed Barak about easing the blockade of the Gaza Strip, and told reporters she had an extended discussion with Barak about the Mediterranean coastal strip, which was severely damaged in an Israeli offensive launched in December 2008.

More than 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed in the three-week war in Gaza, which Israel launched following months of rocket fire from the territory into Israel.

Israel has said its blockade of Gaza aims to prevent Hamas, which is hostile to Israel and which seized control of Gaza in 2007, from acquiring weapons or materials that could be used for military purposes.

Some analysts believe the blockade has strengthen Hamas' hand because of its control over smuggling through tunnels from Egypt. It is also a major irritant to Arab states whose support is vital to resuming Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

"We discussed it at length and Sen. Mitchell and I made clear some of the concerns that we had and some of the ideas about what more could and should be done," Clinton told reporters after she and U.S. special envoy George Mitchell met Barak. "We hope to see progress there."

Israeli-Palestinian peace talks stalled after the Gaza offensive. Despite calling the Arab-Israeli conflict a priority from the start of his administration, U.S. President Barack Obama's efforts have failed to revive them.

The United States has long urged Israel to ease restrictions on Gaza, where building materials, among other things, remain in chronic short supply and have slowed reconstruction for the territory's 1.5 million residents.

Speaking before his meeting with Clinton, Barak said the issue was complicated by the continued captivity of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was seized in 2006 by militants who tunneled into Israel from Gaza.

Barak told the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank Hamas continues to be deterred from launching major attacks on Israel because of the late 2008, early 2009 Israeli offensive but it also continues to rearm.

"They are well-deterred. But still they are accumulating more, longer-range rockets through the smuggling system that goes all the way from Iran through Africa to the Gaza Strip," he said.

"And the situation is not fully stable," he added. "We still have the abducted soldier (Shalit) and that complicates some aspects of the normalization of the situation."

Daniel Levy, an analyst with the New America Foundation think tank, noted Clinton was pressed by senior Arab officials as well as ordinary citizens about the situation in Gaza when she visited the Gulf last week.

"The threat to the peace talks is renewed violence in Gaza... but equally problematic for the United States is what the secretary heard in Qatar and Saudi Arabia ... 'what are you doing for Gaza?'" Levy said. "It undermines the credibility of the United States."

The administration also lost credibility in the Arab world last year when it appeared to soften its demand for a total freeze on Israeli construction in Jewish settlements on the West Bank and in Jerusalem, a step widely seen as undercutting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

U.S. officials hope Abbas can be persuaded to give up his desire for an absolute halt to settlement construction before resuming talks, particularly if he gets backing from Arab states. They hope this might be forthcoming at an Arab League summit in Tripoli in March.

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  • 46. 0 0
    The truth in Israel is always twisted....
    • Dutch
    • 01.03.10
    • 17:31

    Thus if anyone is a nuclear threat to the world it is Israel throwing its weight around and asking others to join in its bullying of Iran... What fools in the EU and US to jump on the Israeli bandwagon. They will have to deal with the riots and flag burning on the streets. Indeed, there will have to be a new defiinition needed for the human tsunami that will occur....Dutch

  • 45. 0 0
    This is Israel's way of pulling in others to their fight..
    • Dutch
    • 01.03.10
    • 16:23

    If anyone is a threat to world stability it is Israel picking fights with its neighbors and asking others to join in. They should re- fuse to take any part in this and instead to force Israel to stop. Dutch

  • 44. 0 0
    # 36 SuperJew --Cuba
    • Stephen A
    • 27.02.10
    • 23:49

    Hello my friend, Cuban misssles never hit America...no missles were ever fired from Cuba, or Russian ships..nothing happened...do you want to know why? Diplomacy...negocitating...compromise.. Kennedy agreed to remove nato/us missles located in Turkey and facing the Criminia,Russia; and Moscow removed all missles from Cuba. It was the closest the world came to a nuclear attack. The most tense moment of the "cold war" was over.

  • 43. 0 0
    #29 Brod... the clairvoyance of anti-Semitism
    • allang
    • 27.02.10
    • 21:01

    Brod... Obama... is an anti-Semite, because his Chief of staff in the White House is Jewish... and Volkner, Summers and Geightner are an integral part of his administration. Egypt is an Islamic-Jihadist state... because Mubarak and Osama Bin Laden were separated at birth and the Muslim Brotherhood are not in Egyptian jails. Yap... clairvoyant one, we all see your logic. The only thing that needs to be obliterated are your posts... because they're an insult to our collective intelligence.

  • 42. 0 0
    Playing loosy-goosy with enriched uranium
    • allang
    • 27.02.10
    • 20:27

    The NY Times reported today... Iran has moved it's entire stockpile of low-enriched uranium to an above ground facility. Their total 4,300 lb. payload of fuel now sits out in the open. I keep wondering... are the Iranian masochistic, daring the Israelis to attack or they simply stupid. Where even a carefully staged accident or a careless fire could produce a nuclear Chernobyl catastrophe. The material now resides just outside the capital. US officials believe, Tehran is short of radioactive storage containers. But obviously, no one knows what's in the Ayatollah's psyche. Maybe it's brinkmanship, a delusional ploy... or are they simply playing loosy-goosy with the enriched uranium. But the surprise is something, only the boneheaded Iranians can produce.

  • 41. 0 0
    #3. Brit. Totally agree with you
    • Olwyn
    • 27.02.10
    • 20:22

    Surely they could change him for 1000 or even 3000 as they already got 13000 and the number is mounting everyday, by daily arrests of pals. They are just being nasty for the family of Gilad Shalitt. Except of course if the soldier would have been one of the ELITE Politicians or Military Personel. Sorry Mr Shalitt.

  • 40. 0 0
    Thanks EB for your assessment of the reality
    • Ari Ben H
    • 27.02.10
    • 20:16

    IRAN can NEVER threathened Israel, we are GOOD enough for them, and they know it. Now it is the turn to STOP frightening the world with "IRAN" is a danger to the world, with their NW. The PM should be honest enough to negociate Peace with the Moderate Palestinians before it is TOO LATE for all of us, because shortly HOT HEADED YOUTH will be TAKING over the PA.

  • 39. 0 0
    "Dr" Klein--then what?
    • John
    • 27.02.10
    • 19:51

    will find another reason to keep the siege...

  • 38. 0 0
    SFG--Egypt is a tool of America and Israel
    • John
    • 27.02.10
    • 18:58

    They dont dare open the border on instructions from Israel and the US

  • 37. 0 0
    You're wrong Sir
    • LanosIceland
    • 27.02.10
    • 18:11

    No Mr Barak, your country is the one who threatens world stability. End the occupation. Hamas and Hezbollah are not fighting the rest of the world, only Israel. Why? The occupation. End it ASAP, hold an honest and open peace summit with these groups, or implement/negotiate the Arab Peace Iniative. Is war the only thing you care about Sir?

  • 36. 0 0
    cuba
    • superjew
    • 27.02.10
    • 18:05

    last I checked, not one cuban missile hit the USA. please correct me if I am wrong.

  • 35. 0 0
    #16 Mark of Lewiston - Disgruntled?
    • Yonatan
    • 27.02.10
    • 16:25

    Not with Israel - that we know. But with your failure of a presidentm whom I imagine you voted for. I guess that's why you're looking for a scapegoat to vent your anger and frustration. And you've found it - a very easy target to hit - tiny in territory, miniscule in population, no natural resources to speak of, not part of any power bloc, just brainpower to keep it going. Mark, did you know that you're an even bigger bully than you claim Israel to be?

  • 34. 0 0
    Hamas was created by israel to counter Arafat's power
    • Peter
    • 27.02.10
    • 15:51

    Now that the ginnie left the bottle israel has to live with it. Israel created Hizbollah as a result of its occupation of Lebanon and their overstay in the south Lebanon. So pay for your mistakes and actions and stop complaining and nagging.

  • 33. 0 0
    Hamas DID NOT seize control...
    • Jack
    • 27.02.10
    • 15:30

    They won an election. Apparently Israel doesn't appreciate democracy...

  • 32. 0 0
    # 3 Brit - collective punishment by uninformed Brit
    • 17
    • 27.02.10
    • 14:52

    Apparently level of education in the UK so low that people do not know the meaning of words they use.

  • 31. 0 0
    Iran is hellbent on its path of destruction and domination
    • Brod
    • 27.02.10
    • 14:52

    Peace or no peace, Iran is hellbent on its path of destruction and domination. The presence of her tentacles that she has propped up and sponsored shows their ultimate goal. Israel cannot and must not depend on the Obama AntiSemite administration that has stopped the sale of weaponry to Israel but has approved the sales of offensive weaponry such as F16 etc to Islamist-Jihadist states in the region such as Egypt, Morocco, etc. Obama seems hellbent on crusading his Jihadism on Israel. Israel should stop dealing with them and do what is necessary to defend herself against those who have threatened to obliterate her.

  • 30. 0 0
    sfg Egypt has a peace treaty with Israel & the 2005
    • CJ
    • 27.02.10
    • 14:42

    crossings agreement to maintain. So the answer is NO, Israel will not permit Egypt to open the crossings to anything it doesn't want the Palestinians to have.

  • 29. 0 0
    Eitan You do twaddle really well...
    • CJ
    • 27.02.10
    • 14:31

    Clinton's 'asks' have been to Israelis, living illegally in Palestinian territory..that they're Jewish is NOT the reason. As for the rest of your post, perhaps you can explain just how you reached such fantastic conclusions.

  • 28. 0 0
    Building materials through Egypt
    • Palestinian Brit
    • 27.02.10
    • 13:26

    Mubarak has become Israel's puppet, Sooner or later the people of Egypt will speak and act - which will be quite a different kettle of fish!

  • 27. 0 0
    #16, Mark, I just did
    • Cipora Julianna Kohn
    • 27.02.10
    • 12:52

    posts are read by various people who then might convey messages. i am sure you understand.

  • 26. 0 0
    Mark, Hillary's a power whore.
    • Petra
    • 27.02.10
    • 11:43

    She's blinded by her own ambition which so far, & has gotten her rewarded by a job that has no future except to remove her from another presidential nomination. She's a flop at whatever she does. Ask her whoremonger hubby.

  • 25. 0 0
    # 13 Eitan yes, that same Clinton
    • Petra
    • 27.02.10
    • 11:39

    she's the one who doesn't mind sharing her hubby w/ bimbo's and skanks... Fits right in w/ the same Muslims that hate women especially, in authority.

  • 24. 0 0
    Brit so brave from Londonstan.
    • Petra
    • 27.02.10
    • 11:35

    try going to Israel and say that, pal. between France and Britain, they manufacture only white flags. Without America's help, they'd both be speaking German.

  • 23. 0 0
    Cipora - Tell Obama
    • Mark of Lewiston
    • 27.02.10
    • 11:15

    I'm sure he wants the advice. You can contact him by email at: http://www.whitehouse.gov There is a contact link on the upper right of the page. I'm sure he wants advice on EU policy, too. And maybe on where 5th Fleet should be stationed since it's in the Middle East, but in an Arab country. How should he proceed on health care? How should the US economy be managed. Should he call in the bank debt and let the chips fall?

  • 22. 0 0
    No Barak and putting Israel back in its box would be appreciated.
    • Rod
    • 27.02.10
    • 11:04

    All other evil doers are obscured by Israel, day after day and year after year.

  • 21. 0 0
    15 Tell the President Cipora
    • Mark of Lewiston
    • 27.02.10
    • 09:45

    Here's his email link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact I'm sure he wants all your ideas. Maybe you can tell him how to get Republicans to stop holding America's unemployed hostage, too.

  • 20. 0 0
    Wrong, Eitan
    • Mark of Lewiston
    • 27.02.10
    • 09:34

    Settlements and American policy has nothing to do with Jewishness. It's about Israeli-ness. There is a huge difference. It's also about the end of the right of conquest, just about the same time as the founding of the modern state of Israel. You guys just missed out on that AND, you signed on to treaties acknowledging the end of the right of conquest. If you want to discuss right of return for Jews who are now Israelis, I'd bet the Palestinians would be willing to discuss that if you also discuss their right of return, too.

  • 19. 0 0
    US ME policy in shambles
    • Cipora Julianna Kohn
    • 27.02.10
    • 09:23

    it is being reported that iran syria and hezbollah will have a war council in teheran in the coming days. it is obvious that the obama administration's "engagement" policy has failed. iran has rebuffed all attempts at engagement with the obama administration. iran is continuing with its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. iran continues its policy of exporting terror through its proxies in the entire middle east. syria has given no indication whatever that it is willing to give up its defence pact with iran. syria has also made clear that it will not stop supporting terror organisations, in particular hezbollah and hamas. a review of the policy of engagement is crucial and urgent.

  • 18. 0 0
    #4 n/a
    • Space
    • 27.02.10
    • 09:19

    Huge difference in that Egypt is building the wall on its own soil, not occupied land.

  • 17. 0 0
    #4 Egyptian war crime and #7 and #11 Cuba
    • Brit
    • 27.02.10
    • 09:17

    Anonymous in #4 makes a fair point and the Egyptian action, seemingly based only on its antipathy to Hamas and the huge US support Egypt receives, can also be seen as collective punishment and thus a war crime. However, in no way does this let Israel off the hook for its crime - especially as a country that likes to be seen as a "western" country" must meet the quality standards. On #7 and #11 on Cuba, while I agree with the latter that the embargo should be lifted, it is totally different, as it is only trade with the USA which is effected - whereas Gaza is a total embargo.

  • 16. 0 0
    Barak's lucid analysis
    • Angelus Novus
    • 27.02.10
    • 08:16

  • 15. 0 0
    P.S. I still remember H.R.Clinton standing by Arafat's wife when
    • Eitan
    • 27.02.10
    • 07:56

    the latter accused Israel of poisoning Arab children and using nuclear waste to affect the lives of Arabs in the territories. Clinton, instead of walking off stage clapped hands at the end of that presentation by Ms. Arafat and hugged her with love and affection. This too is the face of some "liberals" in America...!!

  • 14. 0 0
    The BOGUS Shalit Argument
    • Mark of Lewiston
    • 27.02.10
    • 07:53

    Klein #5 talks about Shalit as if he'd approve of Clinton or any other US representative talking, let alone making a bargain with Hamas to get Shalit out when the Israeli current government is unable to negotiate without an effort to exile Palestinians. The current Israeli government doesn't want Shalit. They want a martyr. Gaza under siege is not a US National Interest. The US should pursue US National Interest and let Israel pursue its own which is not always synonymous. If the current Israeli government wants Shalit released, they know how to pick up a phone. They also know the costs.

  • 13. 0 0
    The same Clinton who asked that Jews, because they are Jews, not
    • Eitan
    • 27.02.10
    • 05:51

    reside in certain towns, villages and neighborhoods of Jerusalem (while others should be able to according to her); the same Clinton who asked that Jews forget about their nearly 4,000 year old heritage, including forgetting the sites of the burial grounds of our forefathers and foremaothers; and not the same Clinton for whom the security of a Jewish child is less important than the well being of a Gaza one.

  • 12. 0 0
    Two-staters talking to Two-staters
    • Build Israel
    • 27.02.10
    • 05:20

    Never going to happen. Incitement killed it.

  • 11. 0 0
    To #7 What about Cuba
    • Tom Clark
    • 27.02.10
    • 05:14

    The treatment of Cuba by the US is just as ignorant and unproductive as Israel's treatment to the people of Gaza! CLinton will do nothing to help Gazza because of the influence of Jewish money in American elections. US taxpayers give billions to Israel so their gov can be bribe/lobby for Israel's best interests, above those of the US.

  • 10. 0 0
    congress and egypt
    • fred
    • 27.02.10
    • 05:10

    Seems people are not aware that the american congress on behalf of aipac and their allies, puts pressure on egypt to keep the blockade as tight as they can. Since Egypt gets aid from America there has been a number of times our congress has threaten to withhold that aid when they thought Egypt was lax in their end of the blockade. Our congress works for aipac and it does its bidding when they get their marching orders from Israel.

  • 9. 0 0
    Building Material
    • sfg
    • 27.02.10
    • 04:18

    Strange how building material may only come through Israel. What ever happened to the Gaza border with Egypt? Couldn't building material come through Egypt?

  • 8. 0 0
    Thank you Hillary
    • maoriboy
    • 27.02.10
    • 04:07

    Isn't she wonderful Hillary the compassionate.Its enough to bring a tear to my eyes.

  • 7. 0 0
    What about Cuba
    • Joseph
    • 27.02.10
    • 03:40

    Israel should keep the embargo as long as the US has keep a boycott on Cuba--as I count, more than 60 years so far. So only 57 years to go.

  • 6. 0 0
    How come no one`s pressing Hamas to return Shalit?
    • Cesare
    • 27.02.10
    • 03:30

    because no one is pressing Israel to release 100s of wimen and children prisoners of Israel

  • 5. 0 0
    First Hamas coughs up Shalit!
    • MARK KLEIN, M.D.
    • 27.02.10
    • 03:24

  • 4. 0 0
    #3 - You will take any opportunity to play the war crime card
    • n/a
    • 27.02.10
    • 03:13

    So let me ask you this. Have you and the rest of your country ever considered calling what the Egyptians are doing a war crime??? Are they not also blockading all of Gaza because Hamas is in power? I would consider this collective punishment. In fact, they are installing steel walls in the ground to enforce the blockade even more. So the next time an Egyptian leader visits England you guys should put an arrest warrant out for them. It's amazing how the finger is only pointed at the Israeli side of things, but never at anyone else involved. I'm sure Barak's statement was taken out of context. I'm also sure that things are a lot more complicated than it's because of 1 kidnapped soldier that they are doing this.

  • 3. 0 0
    Barak confesses to war crime
    • Brit
    • 27.02.10
    • 02:08

    Barak said: "We still have the abducted soldier (Shalit) and that complicates some aspects of the normalization of the situation." So, Israel is pursuing collective punishment against over 1m people - little or no re-building material, no repairs to water system, minimal food and medicine deliveries, resulting in a catstrophically bad situation in Gaza - for the sake of 1 soldier held hostage. that's a war crime under the 4th Protocol of the Geneva Conventions and thus a war crime. Please come to the UK, Mr Barak, so we can put you on trial.

  • 2. 0 0
    How come no one's pressing Hamas to return Shalit?
    • Mark
    • 27.02.10
    • 01:44

    I'm just sayin'. I mean, come on. Hilary has to see the connection by now.

  • 1. 0 0
    No Hat in Hand
    • Mark of Lewiston
    • 27.02.10
    • 01:40

    The US should work with the PA and Egypt to lift the blockade. And then send the 6th Fleet to pay a visit and escort ships bringing relief and trade. The US should not be begging. We should also be actively supporting Palestinian reconciliation in advance of statehood recognition.