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Shaul Mofaz

Last mentioned in Jerusalem :: Israel

Ehud Olmert

Last mentioned in Jerusalem :: Israel

Report

Israel's Transport Minister, Shaul Mofaz, threatened to attack Iran Friday, saying that sanctions had proven ineffective. Contending that the Islamic state's nuclear programme had to be stopped by 'all possible means,' Mofaz' blunt talk reiterated what Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had been telling officials in Washington this week: That the time to attack Iran is now, before it is conceivably too late. Or, to put it another way, before a possible Democratic administration is sworn in to office in the United States.

Mofaz' threatening words come at a difficult time in Israeli politics. Angling to take over leadership of the governing Kadima party from Olmert, the former Chief of Staff has increasingly represented himself to the right of those in Kadima who have made efforts to negotiate with Syria and the Palestinians. At the same time, the Iranian-born ex-general is anxious to demonstrate that unlike most Israeli-Iranians, whom polls indicate are overwhelmingly against bombing Iran, Mofaz has no similar inhibitions.

It's unfortunate that Mofaz has to posture in such a manner, in relation to what remains a real strategic threat to Israel. Nevertheless, he is a former general, and is best known for being the military architect of Israel's counter-insurgency program during the Al-Aksa Intifada. That Mofaz also provided over the decline of Israel's military capabilities during this period in time - and which led to the Israel Defense Forces near defeat in Lebanon - is another story. Playing tough is still the only way to win the right votes in Israeli politics.

Tags: Shaul Mofaz, Israel, Iran, Kadima, Ehud Olmert, oil

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