By Deutsche Presse-Agentur
12/12/07 "DPA" -- -- Tel Aviv - Israel's army chief of staff hinted Wednesday that the Israeli military may have to act itself to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power, if the international community was unsuccessful in doing so.
'The
international community must act determinedly to
stop the 'nuclearization' of Iran,'
Lieutenant-General Gaby Ashkenazi told a
symposium on security at a leading Israeli
think-tank in Tel Aviv.
'But we, in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF),
carry the responsibility to prepare for any
scenario in case this is unsuccessful,' he told
the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).
The military chief added that Israel would in
the coming years 'significantly upgrade' its
ability to act - 'defensively and offensively '
- against 'long-range threats of different
kinds.'
His remarks came after a new US intelligence
report partially released Monday last week said
Iran had suspended its efforts to build an atom
bomb in 2003, but had continued to enrich
uranium and could therefore have enough material
to build a bomb between 2010 and 2015.
Israelis have expressed fear the National Intelligence Estimate will undermine efforts to impose tougher sanctions against Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the same symposium late Tuesday that Iran 'remains dangerous.'
'We must continue the international pressure
with full force to dissuade Iran from its
nuclear tendencies,' he said, adding he trusted
the US would continue to lead the international
campaign against Iran.
Olmert also expressed scepticism about the need
of a country rich in oil and gas to enrich
uranium, 'unless it wants to develop nuclear
weapons.'
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur
