Talks between Iran and world powers will not lead Tehran to stop its nuclear
program, Defense Minister Ehud Barak told the Foreign Affairs and Defense
Committee on Monday.
Barak also expressed skepticism about the
effectiveness of sanctions on Iran.
“The time we have left for facing
Iran is not a matter of weeks, but it’s not a matter of a few years either,” the
defense minister warned.
According to Barak, Iran and Hezbollah are
backing Syrian President Bashar Assad. Tehran does not want Assad’s regime to
fall since that would “harm the radical axis they lead,” he explained.
At
the same time, Barak said Assad’s fall is inevitable.
The defense
minister said he opposes the theory that ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
will solve all of the region’s problems, adding that Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas is responsible for the lack of progress in
negotiations.
“Israel has what to lose, and the continuation of the
current quiet situation cannot be taken for granted,” Barak stated. “A
diplomatic freeze does not serve Israeli interests.”
Hamas’s status among
Palestinians has been enhanced, as it is backed by the Muslim Brotherhood in
Egypt.
Barak added that terrorist groups in Gaza are developing missiles
with a range of 70 km.
“It would be wrong to cut the defense budget when
looking at our situation,” he stated. “We must let the IDF make plans for the
coming years.”
