NOVANEWS
Ya’akov Amidror, who delivered a final security briefing before stepping down, also saidthat a credible Israeli military threat was key to deterring Iran from obtaining nuclearweapons.
Haaretz
The resumption of the peace process with the Palestinians is contributing significantly to Israel’s international standing, but its failure would bolster the anti-Israel boycott movement and deepen the country’s international isolation, National Security Adviser Ya’akov Amidror said on Sunday at a cabinet meeting.
Amidror was presenting his final assessment before ending his term. He discussed the peace process with the Palestinians, the Iranian nuclear program, the civil war in Syria, the instability in Egypt and the United States’ global standing, among other subjects.
He described the decision by the European Union to restrict funding to entities operating in or linked to East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Golan Heights as a “conscious decision” to attack Israel politically and economically. The EU’s move, which he described as “a type of an economic boycott,” has to be taken seriously by Israel, which must make it clear to the Europeans that they have an interest in continuing economic and scientific cooperation.
Amidror, who has served as the national security adviser for the past two and a half years, has become the most powerful figure in Israel’s political-security establishment and one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest aides. He presented the ministers with an evaluation that some of those present said was “sincere and realistic.” He spoke of threats, as well as opportunities; possibilities as well as risks.
According to sources who were briefed on Amidror’s presentation, the adviser said that maintaining an Israeli military threat and tough sanctions are crucial to stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
He asserted that there has been a change in Iran’s willingness to negotiate with the West, but this change was due primarily to the pressure imposed by the international sanctions. Still, the Iranians has not changed their policy on enriching uranium, he said.
“This is exactly why it’s important to maintain sanctions,” said Amidror. “Only maintaining the sanctions along with a credible threat of a strike will persuade Iran to make progress in negotiations with the West.”
Israel must set a high bar with regard to any arrangement between Iran and the West and ignore international criticism, he said. He stressed that if it is “clear to the world that we have a real ability to carry out a military operation in Iran,” the international community will not be able to ignore Israel’s demands.
Regarding Syria, Amidror said the Assad regime has developed an extreme dependence on Hezbollah in the war against the country’s rebels.
This dependence leads Syria to transfer more advanced and lethal weapons to Hezbollah, he added.
On Egypt he voiced an optimistic note, saying the Egyptian military had succeeded in curbing the “might of the Islamic wave,” thus sending a message to other countries in the region. He added that the developments in Egypt have significantly weakened Hamas in Gaza.
Amidror said the world looks at Israel as an extension of the United States, so if America’s standing in the world weakens, it would have an immediate negative impact on Israel’s international position.
He also touched on the nuclear, chemical and biological weapons that Israel possesses according to foreign reports. While Syria’s dismantling of its chemical weapons is a positive development, it poses a worrisome challenge for Israel, which could find itself on the defensive against a host of international organizations that will demand it come clean about unconventional weapons it allegedly has.
Amidror: If peace talks fail, Israel’s global standing will worsen
Outgoing national security advisor says if Israel’s peace talks with Palestinians collapse, international pressure on Israel may worsen, existing boycotts exacerbated
ynet
Outgoing National Security Advisor Yaakov Amidror said Sunday that if Israel’s peace talks with the Palestinians collapse, international pressure on Israel may worsen, which may lead to harsher boycotts.
“It is clear to everyone that handling international pressure depends on the progress of the negotiations, and if the talks fail, it will give everyone interested in boycotting us every reason to do so,” Amidror said, noting specifically European bans which he believe may be exacerbated.
Furthermore, he added, if the US loses its influence in the Middle East, so will Israel, stressing that “Everyone who wishes that Obama loses power must take that under consideration. Israel will also lose its power and the two are related.”
Yaakov Amidror and Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Kobi Gideon, GPO)
As for the issue of nuclear Iran, the outgoing national security advisor stressed that the State must remain prepared, since there has been no significant change on the Iranian front. Sanctions coupled with threats to strike are working, he asserted.
At a farewell reception in the Prime Minister’s Office, Amidror later added that “Israel is facing one clear existential threat and we must do everything in our power to remove it. If we can, via talks, if we can’t – some other way.
“Nowadays, the Middle East is undergoing many changes and upheavals, and many more upheavals are to be expected. This tricky situation, perhaps the trickiest in the 40 years I’ve been dealing with these issues, calls for great caution and a lot of thought.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Amidror’s remarks, noting: “The main question is how do we make sure that the most contested, most threatened country in the world not only continues to survive but also continues to protect itself, fortify its capabilities, thrive and ensure a future for itself.”
