by Mati Tuchfeld, Eli Leon, Daniel Siryoti, Lilach Shoval, Yoni Hirsch, Ronit Zilberstein and News Agencies
Former National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror tells Financial Times Israel can stop Iran's nuclear work "for a very long time" • "We are not bluffing," he says • Israeli Air Force begins "Blue Flag" multinational air defense exercise over Negev skies.
Israeli F-16 aircraft
grounded at Nevatim air force base
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Photo credit: Dudu Grunshpan  |
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As world powers gear up to continue nuclear
negotiations with Iran in Geneva this Wednesday, and as Israel steps up
its efforts to prevent a deal that would fail to demand a full
suspension of the Iranian nuclear program, former National Security
Adviser Yaakov Amidror said Sunday that Israel could halt Iran's nuclear
weapons capability "for a very long time."
Amidror, who stepped down officially on Nov.
4, told the Financial Times that the Israeli Air Force had been
conducting "very long-range flights ... all around the world" as part of
what he called Israel's preparations for a possible military strike on
Iran.
"We are not the United States of America, of
course, and believe it or not they have more capabilities than we do,
but we have enough to stop the Iranians for a very long time," he said.
Asked by the British paper whether Israel has
the military capability to strike Iran's underground nuclear facilities,
Amidror said that any potential strike would "include everything," but
he declined to elaborate further.
"We are not bluffing. We are very serious,
preparing ourselves for the possibility that Israel will have to defend
itself by itself," he said. "From here to Iran, it is 2,000 kilometers
[1,243 miles], and you have to be familiar with such destinations. All
those who have radar cover of the Middle East know what we are doing."
According to Amidror, the training flights have been taking place "for a few years."
Asked whether Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu was ready to order a unilateral military strike against
Tehran's nuclear facilities, Amidror said: "If you ask about him
personally as a prime minister, he is ready to take such decisions. The
answer is a clear yes."
The former national security adviser's
associates said that his response was based on the assumption that
Israel would find itself in a position where the world would leave it no
other choice.
Iran, Amidror said, "is not just a threat to
Israel, it is a threat to the whole of the Middle East and, towards the
end of this decade, to the world. ... We cannot count on others to do
the job if the others don’t want to do the job."
The Sunday Times alleged that Israel and Saudi
Arabia are secretly working together on contingency plans for a
possible attack on Iran if the emerging diplomatic deal between world
powers and Iran does not significantly curb Iran's nuclear program.
Also on Sunday, a multinational air defense
exercise was launched at the Ovda air base in southern Israel. The Blue
Flag exercise, one of the most prestigious and high-level exercises held
by allied air forces from around the world, will span some two weeks
and includes the Israeli, American, Italian and Greek air forces, to
name a few.
This is the first time Israel has hosted the
Blue Flag exercise. Over 100 aircraft and about a thousand air and
ground crew members are expected to participate.
According to Flight International, the Edge of
the Spear and the Knights of Twin Tail squadrons from Tel Nof air base,
the Knights of the North and the First Jet squadrons from Ramat David
air base, the Knights of the Orange Tail squadron from Hatzerim air
base, and the One and Bat squadrons from Ramon air base will all take
part in the exercise.
The air force's Flying Dragon unit, which will host the
international exercise at its home base, will also simulate the hostile
Red Force during the activity.
Mati Tuchfeld, Eli Leon, Daniel Siryoti, Lilach Shoval, Yoni Hirsch, Ronit Zilberstein and News Agencies
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=13395
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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