Today's Situation

IRAN AGAIN, November 20, 2006

Iran was back in the Israeli headlines on Sunday, thanks to two reports from the United States. According to Haaretz, President Bush told his French counterpart, Jacques Chirac, that the possibility that Israel would carry out a strike against Iran's nuclear installations should not be ruled out. Bush also said that if such an attack were to take place, he would understand it.

Maariv adds that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told European diplomats that the United States lacks sufficient intelligence to launch a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities at this time.

Earlier this month, Maariv reported that Bush, asked by Chirac if Israel could attack Iran to prevent it getting the bomb, reportedly said: 'We cannot rule this out. And if it were to happen, I would understand it.'

Israel Radio, meanwhile, carries a report by Seymour Hersh in Monday's issue of the New Yorker magazine, that Israeli agents operating in Iran have been passing intelligence information to the White House. The report claimed that Iran has already developed and tested the technology for a nuclear weapon.

Hersh adds, however, that a classified draft CIA assessment has found no firm evidence of a secret drive by Iran to develop nuclear weapons, as alleged by the White House.

Responding to the reports, Likud leader, former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israel Radio that Israel should recruit all of its national resources to protect the country from the existential threat posed by Iran. Chief of Staff Dan Halutz told Army Radio that it would be best if Israel maintained a low profile on the Iranian front. 'This is not about doing what needs to be done,' Halutz said, 'it is about talking less.'

Ynet, the website of Yedioth Ahronoth, reports that Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday that Israel would not attack the Islamic Republic as "its regime is weak and it has many problems."

Quoting the official Iranian new agency, Ynet reports that Ahmadinejad said, 'This is a media war, because the Zionist regime is weak; we have faced stronger countries in the past.'

Elsewhere a storm was brewing between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz over a phone call between Amir Peretz and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

According to Haaretz, Olmert has on a number of occasions rejected requests by Peretz to hold talks with Abbas, on the grounds that 'no one will meet Abbas before me.' Peretz again asked to meet with the Abbas recently, due to the delays in setting up a meeting between the PA chairman and the prime minister. Peretz's request was denied by Olmert.

A dispute erupted between the prime minister and defense minister Sunday, following a telephone conversation between Peretz and Abbas in which Peretz implored Abbas to act against Qassam rocket fire on Israeli communities bordering the Gaza Strip.

As the Qassams continue to fall, there was controversy in Israel over private initiative by billionaire Russian oligarch Arcadi Gaydamak to evacuate Sderot residents to Eilat. Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Olmert scolded the residents who had left town, saying that Israeli have never fled their homes.

In the meantime, seven Qassams hit the western Negev before noon on Sunday. No one was injured and no damage was caused.

The above text was written and compiled by Simon Spungin using newpaper, radio and wire reports, in English and Hebrew.

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