Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel Prime Minister, Tells Cabinet To Stop 'Chitchat' About Iran

JERUSALEM -- An Israeli official says the country's prime minister has told his Cabinet to quit the "chitchat" about Iran.

Israeli political and military leaders have been increasingly candid recently on the subject of Israeli action against the Iranian nuclear program.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has concluded that an Israeli attack on Iran is likely in the coming months.

Israel considers Iran to be its most dangerous enemy and has vowed to prevent it from going nuclear.

The official said Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet to keep quiet, saying the talk was harming Israeli interests.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing a closed meeting.

Netanyahu himself has often commented about keeping all options on the table in dealing with Iran.

Related on HuffPost:

Comments

[Mike Okereke]

04:44 AM on 02/19/2012

Israel finds no friend in President Obama. This fact is made clear by the article of a Jewish editor who opined that one of the options left for Israel would be to assascinate the US President. The Israelis know what uproar such a thought is creating, both internationally and locally. And so to make the re-eclection of President Obama an impractical venture, Israel is echoeing the possibility of going to war, if possible with Iran, by bombing it's nuclear facilities.
Obdurate Israel is fully aware of the obvious outcomes if such bombing attack takes effect. (1) gas prices would shoot through the roof , (2) America's shaking recovery would seriously be threatened, since any recovery is predicated on very low gas prices. Israel doesn't want that for Obama.
With these reasons recalcitrant Israel reasons that economically weary Americans would hit the roof in terms of being totallly disenchanted with President Obama and his economic policies, and then will not vote for his re-election.
Froward Israel, you are treading on mistaken terrain. Obama would be re-elected regardless.

[karim1]

11:44 AM on 02/19/2012

Maybe Israel MIGHT want to stop occupying and settling in Palestinian territory, and literally pushing the Palestines out of their homes. It is not President Obama's job to support Israel; his first obligation is to the U.S., PERIOD!! Maybe the right-wing, Israeli government might want to stop their own terrorism before they worry about Iran; this is nothing more than Israeli and U.S. imperialism at its finest..

[Manchesterian]

11:14 PM on 02/11/2012

Huff,

Have I been particularly offensive or what? What is with the moderating of harmless one liners?

[Manchesterian]

11:13 PM on 02/11/2012

Finally Bibi. It is about time.

[CraigVale]

11:46 AM on 02/07/2012

This may be the first time I've ever agreed with BiBi.

[Vlady]

04:35 PM on 02/07/2012

Because you deleted the Ci from the end

[CraigVale]

05:04 PM on 02/07/2012

?

[Justeden]

10:31 AM on 02/07/2012

The future of the world has always been the present of Israel.
Israel was the first country subjected to street bombs and terrorism in airplanes.
Now Israel is threatened with Iranian nukes.
How long before we too are threatened by the same people? One EPR attack and we are doomed.
Israeli is the canary in the mine. You can watch it gasp for air or you can grab it and run with it to a safer place.

[Nwo2012]

12:30 PM on 02/07/2012

As if.

[Shaun West]

11:34 AM on 02/19/2012

Always enjoy the informative posts

[BloodBrother]

12:32 PM on 02/07/2012

There is no safer place

[Vlady]

04:38 PM on 02/07/2012

then Huston

[Deschris]

09:05 AM on 02/07/2012

Israel does not realize that until it gives up its 230 functional nuclear bombs joins the NNPT,no Arab country will rest until they have a deterrent.Iran has every right to first defend it's country and the right to build nuclear power plants under the NNPT.Iran is a member and Israel is not.Iran is subject to inspections by the IAEA...who inspects Israel?America?.Iran has not attacked any country,Israel has.

You say that Iran threatens Israel existence and that is enough reason to preemptively attack it's nuclear power plants,do you know what would happen if someone shoots a missile into one our ours say at 3 mile island? People make threats everyday so what.You folks better get a grip before you allow Israel to use nuclear weapons on Iran because that is where it's heading and that will be a real game changer..for all of humanity.....Game Over.

Finally, will Israel attack Egypt,Libya,Syria,Saudi Arabia,Iraq and other Arab countries if they decide to go nuclear for their protection like North Korea?Israel is the most powerful nation with conventional weapons in the middle east now you tell me why they need nuclear weapons,a country of 8 million and Iran a country of 75 million does not?

[erehwon2]

09:49 AM on 02/07/2012

Yes, Israel needs their nuclear weapons as a deterrent against the existential threats surrounding them. None of the surrounding countries, Iran included, repeatedly has been threatened with destruction. Despite your claims, however, Israel would not use nuclear weapons in a first strike against Iran or anyone else. As they've shown by their restraint even at war in the past 40+ years they've had nuclear capabilities, they would use them only as a last resort when facing complete annihilation.

[Nwo2012]

12:32 PM on 02/07/2012

LIES

[mu chowdhury]

12:44 AM on 02/19/2012

"Despite your claims, however, Israel would not use nuclear weapons in a first strike against Iran or anyone else."
It does not echo the voice of (Israeli, sorry) US defense secretary L Panetta who declared that Israeli attack is only months away. How did you know that Israel will
not use nuclear weapons?

[CraigVale]

12:20 PM on 02/07/2012

I'll assume for the sake of argument that what you propose vis-a-vis Israel giving up 230 or so nukes is rhetorical in nature as both you and I know this would never happen. I do agree with you that in the final analysis the decision as to whether or not Iran goes on to arm itself with nuclear weapons is theirs alone to make. They are after all a sovereign nation which is entitled to do what they see as being in their best interest no matter that those interests conflict with those of their neighbors. However, we'd all be remiss to ignore the Arab consternation of this potential development in that a majority of Iran's Arab neighbors don't relish the idea of a nuclear armed Iran either and see Iran's majority of Twelver Shia's as a threat all by themselves never mind the nukes.
I 'm hopeful even in the face of an intransigent religious hierarchy within Iran, a diplomatic solution will be found provided the West devises some face saving method that Iran can hold on to.
I see Russian and Chinese obstructionism on this issue failing as Israel will certainly ignore them and do what they feel they have to do . We'd be wise to remember that Iran is not Iraq and its reach is global, not regional. I don't think that fact is lost on our leaders which makes me optimistic that in the end there is a chance for a diplomatic solution.

[Kramerica-Industries]

08:20 AM on 02/07/2012

Chitchat have been brilliantly orchestrated by Netanyahu and Barak so far.
Playing the hold us and do something quick or else...

[Fireslayer]

05:25 AM on 02/07/2012

It would be Bibis style to dampen down the rehetoric if he is contemplating attacking Iran.

He only mouths off when he is bluffing.

[shergenius]

12:30 AM on 02/08/2012

There is nothing else he can do.. except mouth that is the problem..

[Macready]

05:03 AM on 02/07/2012

bibi really is so afraid of losing the election . .he has to stirr up more wars . . . he was "so successful" as one of the architects of the Iraq war . . anyone who listens to this guy is really stupid . . . bibi the neo con who lacks the courage to sit down and negotiate with the Palestinians honestly . . . has to keep diverting attention from his own cowardice

[moshedaveed]

09:09 AM on 02/07/2012

that is a load of rubbish

[Vlady]

04:47 PM on 02/07/2012

>>anyone who listens to this guy is really stupid

including US congress with 30 standing ovations over Bibi speech

[Internet Privacy Hah]

03:42 AM on 02/07/2012

Above the table his hands say "stop the chit chat."

Below the table his hands say "keep up the chit chat."

[Vlady]

04:49 PM on 02/07/2012

Typical Internet Privacy. Hah

[mu chowdhury]

12:55 AM on 02/19/2012

Sharkozy knows him better !!

[Shaun West]

11:59 AM on 02/19/2012

Sarkozy was one of the main supporters of sanctions on Iran!!
Iran is the biggest supporter of worldwide terrorism today and flatly negated to keep its agreement as NPT member.

[RibEye]

03:14 AM on 02/07/2012

I DON'T WANT ANY ATTENTION AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT.

[Staxx]

01:51 AM on 02/07/2012

If it looks like Obama is going to win the election, someone is gonna start a fight. Israel have nukes but would rather burn the world than see Iran have the ability - simply have the ability to build nukes. Wow!

[shergenius]

12:32 AM on 02/08/2012

yes what a whiner.. wolf wolf help help

[Shaun West]

11:36 AM on 02/19/2012

You mean Israel doesn't want Iran - the same Iran that supports terrorism against Israel in Gaza and Lebanon - from having nukes? How dare they!

[vascopyjama]

01:19 AM on 02/07/2012

The problem for Netanyahu is that the Iranians might put up more of a fight that Palestinian women and children.

[Nwo2012]

03:25 AM on 02/07/2012

Yeah israel is good at war.

As long as their enemies are half naked old guys lying in bed and stone-throwing fourteen year olds.

[Macready]

05:04 AM on 02/07/2012

ditto and as long as they keep the hot line to the pentagon

[Gui Montag]

09:36 AM on 02/07/2012

Blustering bully mode activated.

Cringing victim mode standing by.

[KIVPossum]

01:18 AM on 02/07/2012

We need to make sure Israel knows, if they attack, we will not step into it with them.

[Wisdo]

07:45 AM on 02/07/2012

Not only will we step in, we'll pay for it. Or rather, the american taxpayer will. Again.

[Dainsker]

04:34 PM on 02/07/2012

So sad but so true.

[2083]

02:37 AM on 02/19/2012

I don't see why Israel would expect Moldova's backing.

[KIVPossum]

03:30 AM on 02/19/2012

Don't think Moldova's backing would help anyone. Maybe 5000 people in the army, no navy, no air force.

This area has been conquered and destroyed so many times in history the people have decided that, if someone wants them, o k, just don't do too much damage :)

[Nwo2012]

12:13 AM on 02/07/2012

Iran has offered multiple times to make the whole region a nuclear free zone. israel has refused every offer and wants to keep its own arsenal.

Its not about having nukes. Its about having a monopoly on having nukes.

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

01:37 AM on 02/07/2012

Capitalism at work.

[Shaun West]

11:42 AM on 02/19/2012

Iran would offer that and then refuse inspectors pleas to have full access to their nuclear facilities - as they are doing now.
If I were Iran and were seeking nukes (the current situation), I would do the say the same thing. It's just a shame Iran has a dismal reputation in the international community, which is why no one took any heed to their dishonest pleas.