BICOM

A documentary aired on Israel’s Channel Two last night detailed how the Israeli government has dealt with concerns over the threat of a nuclear Iran during the past decade. It included details of an apparent order given in 2010 by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak for the country’s military to prepare for an imminent military operation on Iran’s nuclear installations.

Interviews with Netanyahu, Barak and former-prime minister Ehud Olmert, contributed to an analysis of the decision-making process at the head of the country during last night’s instalment of Uvda (Fact), a regular investigative documentary.  The documentary reviewed Israel’s approach to Iran’s nuclear programme since the premiership of Ariel Sharon in 2002, including the exceptionally close cooperation with the United States. The programme then gave an account of the apparent 2010 order given by Netanyahu and Barak in for the military to prepare for an imminent military operation. However, the order was not carried out in the end. It was suggested that Israel’s then Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi voiced his opposition to the order, commenting “This is not something you do unless you are certain you want to use it at the end.” The programme claimed that the then head of Mossad, Meir Dagan, questioned the legality of the decision, as the cabinet did not approve it. It was insinuated by Barak that though he gave an order in 2008 to prepare a military plan, the military did not in 2010 possess the operational capability to carry out such a strike.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu reiterated his commitment to preventing Iran from attaining nuclear weapons, saying in a section towards the end of the programme, “I am of course ready to press the button … I hope that that will not be the case. In the final reckoning, the responsibility rests with the Prime Minister and as long as I am Prime Minister, Iran will not have the atomic bomb.”