
Mutual saber rattling between Israel and Iran was in high gear Tuesday after the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said that his country could hit Israel’s nuclear installations.
“All of the nuclear facilities within the territory of the Occupied Land [Israel – ed.] are within range of the Iranian missiles,” Gen. Muhammad Ali Jaafari said.
Both Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have made statements in the past few days urging a short timetable on attempts to engage in a dialogue with Iran and hinting at the option of using force against the Islamist revolutionary state.
Ha’aretz reported that Israel presented Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with several “red lines” which Israel believes should accompany the American attempts to talk with Iran.
These include: tightening the sanctions on Iran even as attempts are made to talk with it, so that the attempt to engage will not be misconstrued as acceptance of the Iranian nuclear program; a joint plan by the U.S., Russia, China, France, Germany and Britain for severe sanctions against Iran if the talks with Iran fail, and a limited timetable for talks with Iran.
Prime Minister-designate Binyamin Netanyahu continued his preparations for taking office by meeting on Tuesday with IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi and other top security officials for an intelligence briefing.
According to Ma’ariv, the officials shared “top secret” information regarding Iran with Netanyahu.