Updated: Magazine retracted quotes:
http://www.jpost.com/...
Iran has asked for dialog, Olmert still thinking war.
"Iran's nuclear program can be thrown back by years in a ten day attack using thousands of Tomahawk cruise missiles," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was quoted as saying in an interview published online by the German magazine Focus on Saturday.
Olmert had reportedly said that it would not be possible to completely halt Iran's race to attain nuclear capability, but that a brisk attack that would delay it significantly was "technically feasible." While saying that Israel does not seek military confrontation, Olmert added that "nobody excludes it."
Of course this was suppose to be off the record...but what has he told Bush? That this would be a cakewalk?
A spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office said Olmert did not have an interview with Focus, and had only given a background briefing and was speaking off the record.
http://www.jpost.com/...
Since the war with Lebanon, more people are questioning Israel's use of force and aggression toward it's neighbors, but the Jewish Federation and United Jewish Communities just think it's a problem of Branding:
Branding Israel:
This is in part because of the relentless circulation of a false view by Israel’s antagonists. It is also in part because of media outlets that find pictures of armed Israelis in uniform and of a concrete wall between Jerusalem and Bethlehem - and, let it be said, of black-clad bearded men in prayer next to the Western Wall - to represent the "typical" Israel. And it is in part because the friends of Israel and those making Israel’s case have not been fully conscious of the problem or of ways to address it.
Drawing upon the research and counsel of professionals tuned in to the cutting-edge concepts of nation branding, Israel, led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is currently engaged in a process aimed at addressing this problem. It is a process that many groups, including Jewish Federations in North America and their umbrella body the United Jewish Communities, see as having significant value in multiple arenas.
http://www.ynetnews.com/...
Maybe stories coming out of the West Bank are hurting the imagine Israel wants to maintain?
Report: Settlers assault left-wing activists protecting shepherds
West Bank settlers on Friday assaulted left-wing activists who had come to protect about 20 Palestinian shepherds in the southern Hebron Hills, lightly wounding a Palestinian man and a female Israeli activist, the activists said.
However, police said there were no casualties.
Arik Ascherman, the executive director of Rabbis for Human Rights, said eight settlers, with dogs, assaulted the three Israeli and seven foreign left-wing activists, breaking several cameras.
http://www.haaretz.com/...
And if Public Relations does not work, there are always the tools of war. Israel now asks for F-22s, continuing the arms race in the middle east:
The Post reported last week that the Air Force has expressed newfound interest in receiving the F-22 - a US-developed fifth generation stealth fighter jet - and has requested that the Defense Ministry present the request on its behalf to the Pentagon. Defense officials have asked to receive the jet so Israel can retain its military edge in the region in face of American plans to sell smart bombs to Saudi Arabia.
"There is no stronger relationship than with Israel," Cohen said. "There could be circumstances that that level of technology would be released to Israelis."
While Congress and the Pentagon would be hesitant to release classified technology like the F-22 to Israel, "if it came to a question of Israeli security, I am confident they will come to help."
http://www.jpost.com/...
Is there anyone in Israel open to diplomacy? I really don't think there are enough walls or bombs to protect Israel if they don't change their path. Failed governments will not lead to stability. Time to sign the peace treaties, and disarm the middle east.