Israel disputes US intelligence conclusions

Israeli officials yesterday disputed the key conclusions of the US National Intelligence Estimate report on Iran's nuclear programme. The report contended that the threat of US military action caused the Iranians to freeze their nuclear weapons programme in 2003, following the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Defence Minister Ehud Barak said yesterday that Israel was aware of the short-term freeze that took place at this time, but that Iran had recommenced its efforts shortly afterwards. The Defence Minister noted that differing assessments by intelligence agencies were not unusual, but that Israel could not afford to base its activities on a single report. Israeli officials have also noted that the report does not deny Iran's continued nuclear ambitions, and predicts that it may attain nuclear capability by the middle of the next decade.

Throughout the last four years, since reports of Iran's secret nuclear programme first emerged, Israel has striven to help maintain the broadest possible united diplomatic coalition that will maintain pressure on Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. There are concerns following the issuing of the NIE report that the report may make it more difficult to maintain this coalition, since it may lead to a loss of the sense of international urgency regarding this issue. Specifically, Israel is concerned that Russia and China may now oppose a third sanctions resolution on Iran at the UN Security Council. There is also concern that Russia may now decide to speed up the delivery of Russian nuclear fuel to the Iranian nuclear facility at Bushehr. Israel is expected to launch a diplomatic campaign in the coming days to try to maintain awareness of the continued danger of Iranian nuclear efforts.

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