12 septembre 2009
Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Meridor: No more time to waste on Iran
The world needs to stop wasting time and must join forces to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Dan Meridor says. "The time is now. There is no more time to waste, and that's not only the Israeli perspective, it's much more general," Meridor told Reuters Saturday. Meridor said that Tehran's nuclear ambitions are not confined to the distant future. "When they decide exactly this or exactly that is a good question but it's not the main question," he said. "The trend is clear and if you want to be an owner of nuclear weapons or have the capability of being a nuclear power it changes the balance of power." Meridor noted that he was hoping for a concerted international effort and was not referring to the need for a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. "I'm not speaking of military action. I don't want to give any word that would be misinterpreted," he said. "I intentionally put this issue in its broader context." The minister also noted that Israel has special interest in the issue. "Of course there is a special case in Israel because Iranian leaders say…that Israel is not legitimate and should not exist, and one sees the building up of weapons, not to speak of the meaningful involvement in terror all over the place," he said. Referring to claims that Israel itself possesses nuclear weapons, Meridor said: "We are known to be quite a responsible country. We are in a unique position…I will not say what we have, if we have or we don't have (nuclear weapons), but the fact is that the alarm in the Arab world is related to the fear that Iran may have it." (19,18)
U.S.: Six world powers accept Iran's offer to hold talks
The United States and five partner countries have decided to accept Iran's new offer to hold talks, even though Iran insists it will not negotiate over its disputed nuclear program, the State Department said Friday. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters that although Iran's proposal for international talks - presented to the six powers on Wednesday - was disappointing for sidestepping the nuclear issue, it represented a chance to begin a direct dialogue. "We are seeking a meeting now based on the Iranian paper to see what Iran is prepared to do," Crowley said. "And then, as the president has said, you know, if Iran responds to our interest in a meeting, we'll see when that can occur. We hope that will occur as soon as possible." In its proposal, Iran ignored a demand by the six world powers - the U.S., Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - for a freeze of its uranium enrichment, which is suspected of leading to production of a nuclear weapon. Iran insists that its nuclear work is strictly for peaceful non-military purposes. Iran pronounced itself ready to embark on comprehensive, all-encompassing and constructive negotiations. (00,11)
11 septembre 2009
Israel files complaint with UN over Lebanon rockets
Explosion sounds were heard Friday afternoon in the Nahariya and Western Galilee area, according to reports received by the police, Magen David Adom and firefighting services from local residents. "As far as we are concerned, the Lebanese government is responsible for preventing any firing from its territory towards Israel," the army stressed in its complaint. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that two 122-mllimeter rockets had hit open areas in northern Israel and that one of them had been located near a local kibbutz. There were no reports of injuries or damage. Lebanese security sources said that three rockets had been fired at Israel. Local media outlets reported that the rockets were fired from a village in the southern Tyre area. The IDF fired artillery into orchards in the Tyre area in response to the rockets. According to Lebanese reports, at lease 15 shells had been fired from Israel. The Israel Defense Forces has filed an official complaint with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon in response to the rockets fired into northern Israel. UNIFIL representatives are expected to arrive in the area and join the probe into the incident. Ambassador Shalev to UN says Katyushas fired from Lebanon are another example of presence of weapons, terrorist activity on south of Litani River. UN Secretary-General Ban condemns rocket fire, urges Israel and Lebanon to exercise restraint (22,00)
Fatah/Hamas
Fatah welcomes a new Egyptian proposal aimed at solving its dispute with Hamas, a high-ranking Fatah official said on Thursday. The Egyptian proposal has the support of the Hamas as well. "Fatah has welcomed and accepted the latest proposal," said Jibril Rajoub, the newly-elected member of Fatah's Central Committee, who said that the proposal would bring the two rival parties closer to signing a "national unity agreement." "President Mahmoud Abbas accepted it after holding consultations with Fatah leaders in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and abroad," Rajoub said, adding that he and a group of senior Fatah leaders were planning to visit the Gaza Strip soon for talks with Hamas leaders. The purpose of the meeting, he said, was to find ways of ending an ongoing power struggle with the Hamas. (11,22)
Report: Iran proposes global system to eliminate nukes
Iran has proposed a global system to eliminate nuclear weapons as well as cooperation on Afghanistan, fighting terrorism and energy projects but is not willing to discuss halting its uranium enrichment program, an Iranian official told the Washington Post on Thursday. Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi, considered to be Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's closest political aide and reportedly under consideration for appointment as first vice president, described Iran's proposal as similar to U.S. President Barack Obama's call in April to rid the world of nuclear weapons. Hashemi was speaking about a proposal handed by Iran to the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany on Wednesday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that the proposals contained something to work with and ruled out oil sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Iran handed the proposals to the world powers after Western pressure to engage in talks to resolve the dispute over its nuclear program. "Based on a brief review of the Iranian papers my impression is there is something there to use," Lavrov told academics and reporters from the Valdai discussion group in Moscow. "The most important thing is that Iran is ready for a comprehensive discussion of the situation, what positive role it can play in Iraq, Afghanistan and the region," he said. Lavrov added that the United Nations Security Council would not support oil sanctions against Iran, the world's fifth-largest crude exporter. He said that world powers had agreed to use sanctions only as a way to get Iran to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency. "Some of the sanctions under discussion, including oil and oil products, are not a mechanism to force Iran to cooperate -- they are a step to a full blown blockade and I do not think they would be supported at the UN Security Council," he said. Iran says its nuclear program is aimed at producing electricity and has repeatedly rejected demands to halt enrichment, which can have both civilian and military purposes. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters Thursday that the Iranian proposal is "not really responsive to our greatest concern, which is obviously Iran's nuclear program." U.S. President Barack Obama has indicated Iran will face much harsher sanctions, possibly targeting its lifeblood oil sector, if it does not accept good-faith negotiations by the end of September. (09,33)
France implores Moscow to cancel sale of missiles to Iran
France called on Russia Thursday not to complete the sale of advanced air defense missiles to Iran. Meanwhile in Israel, the dust has not yet settled over the secret visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Moscow on Monday, reportedly over the same issue. Thursday, the Russian daily Kommersant quoted Kremlin sources as confirming Netanyahu's visit to the Russian capital. The newspaper added that Netanyahu's visit was meant to update Russian officials on Israel's intentions to move toward "action" in its handling of the Iranian nuclear issue, as a result of new intelligence on Tehran's program. The Prime Minister's Bureau continued to refuse comment on Netanyahu's visit to Moscow. France's statement was made in view of a similar Israeli request made earlier, and probably repeated by Netanyahu during his Moscow visit. A spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry told reporters that France is in regular contact with Russia and has expressed concern about the export of such a weapons system to Iran, which Paris believes would undermine stability in the Middle East. The French diplomat stressed the fact that United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1747 and 1737 call on the international community to avoid the sale of arms to Iran, either directly or indirectly. As far as France is concerned, the diplomat said, there is an absolute embargo on the sale of arms to Iran. The French message to Russia is the second time in two weeks that Paris has backed Israel on Iran. (09,31)
10 septembre 2009
PM Netanyahu: We're ready for peace, but won't be suckers
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Thursday that Israelis would not be "suckers" in peace negotiations, despite their willingness to make concessions in order to reach an accord with their neighbors. "We have proven time and again that we are willing to make compromises for peace, but we won't lead ourselves astray - we are not willing to be suckers," Netanyahu told members of his center-right Likud party. He added: "There is a government in Israel that strengthens [our] security, that leads the economy from crisis to recovery, and that advances the diplomatic process responsibly and with open eyes, while steadfastly standing up for the interests of our people and our country." During the speech, which was held ahead of the upcoming Jewish holidays, Netanyahu addressed West Bank settlers, calling them "loyal and good citizens." "You deserve to live normal lives," he said. "We will do two things at the same time: Advance the diplomatic process, and enable you to live normal lives." The prime minister also touched upon Jerusalem, whose eastern neighborhoods the Palestinians want to form the capital of a state they hope to create in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"United Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish people, and it will remain so forever," he vowed. "The people of Israel are ready to do much for peace, but will not give up on the clear and unequivocal recognition of the right of the Jewish people to the State of Israel." (21,52)
PMO clarification: "PM was dealing with matters of classified nature"
The Prime Minister's Office issued a statement Wednesday night seeking to clear up the ambiguous nature of Binyamin Netanyahu's whereabouts on Monday, following reports he made a secret visit to Russia. The statement said that "the prime minister was dealing with matters of a classified nature." The Prime Minister's Office said that an earlier statement issued by Netanyahu's military secretary that the premier was at a security installation inside Israel was his own initiative. The PMO said National Security Advisor Uzi Arad had no hand in the matter. (20,20)
Spain promises as next EU president to take tougher line on Iran
Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos of Spain says his country will press for tougher sanctions by the European Union against Iran when Madrid assumes the bloc's rotating presidency in 2010. Moratinos made the remarks at a meeting with President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem on Wednesday night. He said Iran's response to the West's proposal to launch nuclear talks was insufficient. Moratinos also said that he came away from discussions in Damascus with Bashar Assad, with the impression that the Syrian leader is optimistic about the chance for peace talks with Israel. Peres said that if final details are agreed upon, it could be possible to announce the renewal of the peace process during the UN General Assembly later in September.(20,18)
U.S. Says Iran Has Ability to Expedite a Nuclear Bomb
American intelligence agencies have concluded in recent months that Iran has created enough nuclear fuel to make a rapid, if risky, sprint for a nuclear weapon, but has deliberately stopped short of the critical last steps to make a bomb. Glyn Davies, the American ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, declared on Wednesday that Iran now had a "possible breakout capacity" to enrich its stockpile of uranium to bomb-grade material. In interviews over the past two months, intelligence and military officials, and members of the Obama administration, have said they are convinced that Iran has made significant progress on uranium enrichment, especially over the past year, New York Times reported. In a 2007 announcement, the U.S. said Iran had worked on designs for making a warhead in a project that was halted in 2003. The new intelligence finds no convincing evidence that the design work has resumed. But Israel has cited evidence that the design effort secretly resumed in 2005, at the order of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Israelis have argued that there could be little or no warning time before Iran completes building an actual weapon - especially if Iran has hidden facilities. Israeli officials cite two secret programs in Iran, Project 110 and Project 111, the code names for what are believed to be warhead-design programs run by an academic, Mohsen Fakrizadeh. International inspectors have shown videos and documents suggesting that Fakrizadeh's group has worked on nuclear triggers, trajectories for missiles and the detonation of a warhead at almost 2,000 feet above ground - which would suggest a nuclear detonation. Accurate intelligence about the progress of Iran's weapons programs has been notoriously poor. Much of the country's early activity was missed for nearly 18 years, until a dissident group revealed the existence of enrichment efforts. Israeli officials say privately that the Obama administration is deluding itself in thinking that diplomacy will persuade Iran to give up its nuclear program. Even inside the White House, some officials think Mr. Obama's diplomatic effort will prove fruitless. (19,08)