Defense Minister Peretz emphasizes Israel's nuclear policy unchanged.
By HERB KEINON, JPOST.COM STAFFjp.services2(photo credit: )
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reiterated three times during the 30 min press conference he gave alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel during his visit to the European country that Israel's policy of nuclear ambiguity has not changed.
With these comments Olmert was trying to put an end to the temperate that his interview with the German television station on Monday night had caused during which he argued that a nuclear Israel did not pose the same threat as a nuclear Iran.
"Israel has said on a number of times in the past that it will not be the first country to introduce nuclear weapons into the region. This was the policy in the past and it has not changed," said Olmert.
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Earlier Tuesday, Defense Minister Amir Peretz also made clear that there has been no change in Israel's nuclear ambiguity policy, Army Radio reported.
Speaking to soldiers in the Shomron Division, Peretz said that "the prime minister made himself clear, and I definitely believe the policy remains the same. We continue the same policy and do our job the best we can. Let no one think we will remain aloof to world events around us."
Also on Tuesday, the Prime Minister's Office stated that Olmert "did not deviate from Israel's ambiguity regarding nuclear issues" in his interview with a German TV station.
"Iran openly threats to wipe Israel off the map. Can we say this is the same level of threat when they work to get nuclear weapons like the US, France, Israel and Russia?" Olmert said.
The Prime Minister's Office said that the prime minister made this statement in response to a similar statement made by newly appointed American Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
