Close Confidante of Netanyahu Warns "It's Now or Never" for Military Strike on Iran: Analysis
By Joel C. Rosenberg (@joelcrosenberg on Twitter) 
(Washington, D.C., April 26,
2013) -- Tzachi Hanegbi, a close, trusted, long-time personal
friend and confidante of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, made remarks on Tuesday at a security conference in
Tel Aviv that did not make news in the U.S. But they should
have. Hanegbi explained that the time for sanctions, diplomacy and covert options to neutralize the Iranian threat is over, and the time for Israel to use its military option has come. "It's now or never," said Hanegbi, "and the option of never does not exist." Hanegbi formerly served as the Minister of Intelligence and as Justice Minister in previous governments. He is currently a Member of Knesset (Likud). "Israel has to act according to its own imperatives," he said. Given how close Hanegbi and Netanyahu are -- and given how sensitive the current moment is -- it is difficult to believe Hanegbi spoke without knowing the Prime Minister’s mind, and without having his blessing to make such ominous remarks. I, for one, am praying for peace. I don't want to see another war in the Middle East. I'm asking the Lord to bring down the regime in Tehran, and sabotage their nuclear weapons projects, and keep Tehran from going to far. But even as I pray for peace, I know Israel is preparing for war. Consider other indicators that an Israeli first strike may be increasingly close at hand.... [To read the full article, please go to the blog.] ALSO ON THE BLOG: * U.S. says Syria used chemical weapons: Countdown to military action against Damascus? * Israel shoots down drone from Lebanon * U.S.-Israel sign new arms deal, but Obama team refuses to sell bunker buster bombs. What message does that send to Iran? * Canada arrests two in al-Qaeda terror plot connected to Iran * Israeli intel: Damascus used chemical weapons against rebels * How it went down: The most interesting coverage of the hunt for the Boston terror bombers * Is war with Iran unavoidable? Video of my Fox News interview on what lessons Israeli leaders are drawing from North Korean nuclear crisis. * "Damascus Countdown" spends 5 weeks on NYT bestseller list. [To read these articles -- and/or learn more about DAMASCUS COUNTDOWN; or to find links to the latest news and analysis of events and trends in the U.S., Israel, North Africa, Russia, and the Middle East -- please go to: http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/.] |