Shaul Mofaz - back in the Opposition
Shaul Mofaz - back in the OppositionIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Kadima chairman Shaul Mofaz said in an interview broadcast Saturday that a premature attack on Iran "could be disastrous."

Mofaz argued that Iran will not develop a nuclear bomb until its supreme leader decides to do so.

"We need to ask ourselves… two questions," the former defense minister said. "Will an early attack by Israel change Iran's strategic situation regarding the nuclear program. My answer is no. And the second question is, will an early strike by Israel, in the current circumstances, in the existing situation in the Middle East, with the gasoline fumes [that are in the air], will an early attack lead to war?", Mofaz asked rhetorically on Channel 2's Meet the Press.

"My answer is that the probability for this is very high," he said, "and that it will endanger Israel's ability to take action against Iran in the future, and will threaten Israel's citizens."

Mofaz told interviewer Dana Weiss that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have not yet made a decision to attack Iran. "I have spoken to them several times during the past two months when I was in the coalition," he said, "and my impression is that they are heading there, but the decision has not yet fallen."