Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu visited the nuclear reactor facility in Dimona Tuesday.
The visit was publicized in a news release by the Prime Minister’s Office after it took place, in what observers say could be a message directed at Iran, which has threatened to hit the site if Israel attacks its nuclear facilities.
Netanyahu’s bureau stated that it was Netanyahu’s first routine visit to the facility since he became Prime Minister. He met with the staff of the Center for Nuclear Research and was briefed on various projects. Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for the Center’s employees and for their contribution to Israel’s strength and security.
Barak: similarity to Pakistan, North Korea
Earlier in the day, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said of the Iranian threat and U.S attempts at ‘engagement’: “We are not in a position to tell the Americans what to do, but we recommend that they present a tight schedule with waypoints, with preparation for coordinated sanctions, in case this dialogue fails to bring about the desired results.”
“From past experience we learned that these kinds of things did not succeed,” Barak said of the efforts to solve the crisis through negotiation. “I saw, in my previous roles, the past experience with Pakistan [and] North Korea, and the similarity between those cases and Iran is amazing and troubling.”
“As far as Israel is concerned we once again say that all options are on the table, [and] we recommend to our friends in the world to do so too.”