Mofaz demands meeting with Netanyahu over Iran 'war plans'

Opposition Chairman MK Shaul Mofaz has issued an urgent letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding a meeting to discuss the government's plans regarding an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, Army Radio reported on Monday.

Mofaz's request falls within the legal obligation of the prime minister to summon the opposition leader for a meeting at least once every month, to brief the latter on relevant issues. Mofaz, who served as Netanyahu's deputy until he withdrew from the coalition last month, will have manned the post of opposition chair exactly one month come August 23.

"I ask that you convene this meeting without delay. On the agenda: your intention to lead this country to war," Mofaz wrote to Netanyahu.

The debate surrounding a possible attack, aiming to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions in the face of Iranian leaders' threats of annihilation directed at Israel, has reached fever pitch in recent weeks. With Netanyahu and the defense minister, Ehud Barak, reiterating the need to stop Iran's nuclear progress at every opportunity, many Israeli politicians and security officials, both active and retired, have come out in favor or against a future Israeli attack.

Mofaz also sent copies of the letter to the attorney-general, the defense minister and the chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

In his letter to the prime minister, Mofaz demanded a detailed list of Israel's emergency stockpiles and reserve supplies required to prepare Israel for the possible repercussions of an attack. The list included supplies for emergency medicine, foreign currency, raw materials including fuels for civilian and military use, civilian aviation, port preparedness, the evacuation of strategic facilities and the management of Israel's strategic resources.

According to the Haaretz webiste, Mofaz wrote that "you and your inner Cabinet have consistently crossed substantial red lines in recent days in terms of diplomacy and security. This is total abandonment of public debate on extremely intimate security issues, which has become a habit for you and your government."

"The motives behind the public nature of this lawlessness have not yet fully emerged, but it is now becoming clear that they run contrary to this country's best interest," Haaretz quoted Mofaz as writing to Netanyahu.

Mofaz demanded further that the prime minister reveal the U.S.'s official stance on an Israeli attack, and the level of understandings between Israel's government and the Obama administration in terms of intelligence, operational plans, diplomatic plans and economic plans. He also demanded that Netanyahu divulge the current position of Israel's defense officials on a potential attack.

"What is the true objective behind widening the rift with the U.S.-" Haaretz quoted him as writing. "Senior officials in your administration have told you, the defense minister, and myself that an Israeli attack would have dramatic implications and pose a blatant and illegitimate interference in political processes within the United States ahead of the presidential elections this coming November."

Mofaz has recently made public remarks opposing an attack on Iran. Speaking on Channel 2 television, the former defense minister said he thought Israel was "planning a hasty, irresponsible event."

He said that he thought Israel could not do anything to force a strategic change in Iran's nuclear program, which the West suspects is aimed at producing atomic weapons. Tehran says it is for peaceful purposes.

As a member of Netanyahu's security Cabinet for two months, Mofaz was privy to deliberations on Iran's nuclear program.

He told Channel 2 television during a studio interview that any Israeli military action "can at the most delay it [Iran's program] by about a year, and it can bring upon us a disastrous war."

Naming both Netanyahu and Barak, he said he was "very worried at what they are preparing." He added: "I hope very much we don't reach such a war because it would be a disaster."

Days after he quit the Cabinet late in July in a dispute about military conscription policy, Mofaz, who heads the centrist Kadima party, cautioned he would not back any Israeli military "adventures."

טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו