Editor's Letter

"Yi equilibrium

The Iranian Threat

H

istory tells Jews oh so starkly to fear enemies who call
for our extermination. Nazi Germany sought to exter-
minate European Jewry as recently as 70 years ago
through Hitler's "Final Solution',' a cunning, deceptive plan that
became bolder as it took root and the body count climbed.
Six million Jews died in the Holocaust, but five million oth-
ers considered subhuman by Aryans
— gypsies, prisoners of war, homosexu-
als, people with physical or mental dis-
abilities — did, too.
The civilized world knows the awful
price it paid by underestimating the
graveness of the Third Reich siege on
the non-Aryan citizens of Germany and
neighboring states.
That Iran, a sovereign state, today
denies the Holocaust and calls for
Israel's destruction is cause for world
concern. Don't for a second think Iran
wouldn't bomb the Jewish state.
Does Israel fear Iran — a political patchwork of ruling clerics,
a powerful army and a scary president?
"Absolutely, we take it seriously' ) Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu told a CNN audience of Larry King
Live on July 7 during the Israeli leader's visit to Washington to
meet with President Obama.
"We also know that Israel was founded to defend the Jewish
people. So we reserve always the right to defend
ourselves': said the Likud party leader, elected
prime minister for a second time in 2009.

regimes is a worthy goal.
Iran not only is a terror monger and a Holocaust denier,
Netanyahu said, but the government in Tehran is quick to
shoot unsupportive citizens. Imagine the Islamic Republic
deploying a nuclear blast as it champions mass terror.
I was especially interested to hear the reply when King
asked Netanyahu whether sitting down with Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was possible. Giving some context,
Netanyahu replied: "Well, if he wanted to change the policies of
Iran. We used to have friendly relations with Iran. It actually rec-
ognized Israel. We had exchanges all the time'
Resigned to the darkened mists of reality, Netanyahu did offer
one remote path to brighter times: "When Ahmadinejad decides
to recognize the State of Israel and seek peace with it, believe me,
I'll be there eagerly waiting. But I'm afraid I don't see that. I see
the very opposite."
I do as well.
Its not extreme to ask Iran to at least recognize the Jewish state
before entertaining the prospect of Israeli-Iranian peace talks
— tenuous as such talks would be.

Terror - Minded Proxies
In his conversation with King, Netanyahu also addressed
Hezbollah and Hamas, both Iranian surrogates.
He said Lebanon was once "the Switzerland of the Middle
East" with a robust economy until Hezbollah moved in,
undermined "any attempt at moderation" and began a 6,000-
rocket air assault on Israel. There has been no
movement toward peace between Israel and
Lebanon not because the Lebanese people
don't want it, but because "radical forces, pro-
Iranian forces like Hezbollah, are preventing it','
Bibi's Crystal Ball
he said.
When he first became prime minister 14 years
In the Gaza Strip to Israel's south, Netanyahu
ago, Netanyahu presciently defined a nuclear Iran
told
King that Iran similarly armed Hamas,
as the greatest threat to humanity. "I can tell you,
sworn
by charter to destroy the ancestral
14 years later, that most of the world's leaders
homeland
of the Jewish people and a classic
today agree with this," he told King.
brutalizer
of
Gazans. Hamas' strategy since
Most probably do.
routing
the
Palestinian
Authority's Fatah party
Israel has no choice but to hold an option on a
to
seize
power:
launching
6,000 of its own
military response to Iran's flirtation with nuclear
rockets
at
Sderot
and
surrounding
parts of the
capability if tougher U.S., Canadian, Australian
Negev.
and European Union sanctions, coupled with
In both cases, the rocket fire raged after
modest U.N. sanctions, fail to disrupt the Persian Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel
withdrew all troops — from Lebanon in
state's economy. Let's hope the sanctions, restrict-
2000
and
from Gaza in 2005.
ing business dealings with Iran's oil and gas sec-
Bibi's
hard
line
notwithstanding,
I would not object if Israel
tor, force Iran to forgo an atomic bomb. Importantly, even Obama
sought
preliminary
goal-setting
talks
with either Hezbollah or
has said all options are on the table when it comes to Iran.
Hamas. I just don't think they'd go anywhere. The two terrorist
organizations won't change their terrorist stripes any time soon
Unequal Playing Field
because
they can't. As proxies dependent on Iran for arms, sup-
Not known as a tough interviewer, Larry King did ask
plies
and
money, they are beholden to Tehran.
Netanyahu why it's okay for Israel to be nuclear armed, but not
Israel
and
the West would have to reform Tehran before Gaza
Iran. The prime minister reminded King that Israel isn't threat-
City
and
Beirut
would change. Netanyahu summed it up well:
ening to destroy another country.
"As
long
as
Iran
doesn't want peace, they don't want peace:'
"We don't seek the destruction of any country or any people')
Netanyahu said. "We don't say that an entire people has to be
wiped off the map of the Earth. We don't have such intentions."
Lees be blunt: Israel's use of its suspected nuclear arsenal
0 : Should Israel try to engage the
I— •
would only be in response to an ominous, direct threat.
rogue regime running Iran?
0 RAJ
Netanyahu appropriately cites the threat of a nuclear Iran as
1—
Z z Can you envision meaningful talks
graver than that of a nuclear Netherlands. His point: Banning
60 with Hezbollah or Hamas?
nuclear weapons worldwide isn't practical, but striving to prevent
a. 0 -
them from falling into the military might of the most-dangerous

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August

5•

2010

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