Olmert breaks Israel's nuclear ambiguity

Israel's PM, Ehud Olmert, spoke today in an interview with German channel SAT1.

In the interview in what may have been an irresponsible slip of the tongue, Olmert broke Israel's nuclear ambiguity policy. It has been surmised that Israel possesses nuclear weapons, but Israel has never admitted or denied having that capability.

Olmert spoke of the Iranian nuclear program, and when asked whether the fact that Isreal had nuclear weapons weakened the western position vis-a-vis Iran, Olmert included Israel along other democratic countries like France, USA and Britain, making the point that the weapons themselves are not dangerous as long as the country holding it is reponsible. As Iran is threatening Israel with annihalation, it should not be allowed to develop nuclear arms. Olmert called on Germany to sever its ties with Iran.

Olmert's statement aroused great criticism in Israel political arena. The PM is on a diplomatic tour of Europe.

Olmert says that there are no sign of impending war

Shortly before embarking on a tour of Europe, Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, said that he does not interpret several military steps taken by Syria as signs of impending war.

Yesterday, at the Israeli government's weekly meeting, the ministers heard reports that Syrian President, Bashar Assad, has ordered to increase development of long range missiles and that anti-tank missiles have been moved toward the border with Israel. Assad has expressed the view that if no progress is made to return the Golan Heights to Syria it will have to retake it by force. A number of reports in the Israeli media had stated that war with Syria may indeed break in the summer of 2007. Nevertheless, the intelligence presented to the ministers termed these reports as irresponsible.

Olmert also spoke about the Holocaust convention in Iran and said that it is a testament of its hatred and bigotry.

Holocaust convention in Teheran

Earlier today, a convention on the subject of the Jewish Holocaust was opened in Teheran. The convention was initiated by the Institute of International and Political studies which reports to the Iranian foreign ministry.
The head of the institute said at the beginning of the convention that its goal was not to deny the historical existence of the Holocaust nor to prove it, but to provide a scientific forum where scholars can lay out their views.
Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has repeatedly made his opinion, that the Holocaust was not a historical event and that Israel should be wiped of the map, known to the international public. This convention is but one of the steps in which Iran strives to undermine what it believes to be the true justification of the existence of the State of Israel. Iran's position is that even if the Holocaust did take place it is not for the Muslims and Palestinians to pay the price for it.
The convention was denounced by many countries in the West including Germany and the United States.

Lieberman adresses Saban Forum

Israel's minister of Strategic Affairs, Avigdor Lieberman, spoke today in Saban Forum in Washington. The right wing minister criticized the arab-israeli members of Knesset who traveled to Syrian and expressed support of Hezbollah. Lieberman likened their actions to an american senator's meeting with Bin-Laden.

Lieberman stated that Israel has a right to demand loyalty of its citizens and that any who do not accept Israel's Jewish-Zionist nature cannot be one of its citizens. Lieberman directed those words to arabs and certain sects of orthodox Judaism who do not recognize Israel.

Lieberman also attacked the accepted axioms of the conflict in the Middle East:

That the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the crux of the instability in the region.

That the conflict is territorial and not ideological.

And that the establishment of a Palestinian state in the borders prior to the Six Days War will end the conflict.

Nevertheless, Lieberman said that any solution will have to improve the life and education of the Palestinians in order to have any chance of succeeding.