Netanyahu Wanted To Attack Iran But Was Overruled: Ex-Defense Minister

Barak said an opportunity in 2012 to attack Iran was shelved as it would have coincided with large joint military exercises with the United States “which was likely to embarrass Washington and give the impression the Americans were directly involved in the attack”.

Ashkenazi’s successor Benny Gantz told the country’s political leadership that “the possibilities (for an attack on Iran) exist, but you know its limitations and risks”, Barak said.

In response to the revelations, the office of the serving Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon said: “We have no intention to comment on what is happening in the Octet [key Israeli body] or the cabinet discussions in general and on distorted and tendentious versions in particular”. The New York Times, which spoke to Barak, confirmed the voice in the recording as his.

Barak wanted to prevent the audio from being aired, pointing to military censorship, but the military then approved the material, according to the Jerusalem Post, which cited Channel 2.

In an interview conducted last Sunday on CNN with Fareed Zakaria, US President Barack Obama stated that he does not remember having encountered a foreign politician who interfered with American foreign policy as much as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does today, especially when it comes to the nuclear deal with Iran. Publishing the discussions is the responsibility of the IDF censor and of Ehud Barak.

“The Iranians have a long tradition of deceiting and defying the whole world”, he said.

For years, Netanyahu has trumpeted the threat to use the “military option” to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“It is the same Khamenei who scolded Gadhafi for giving up his nuclear program”, Barak said.

“I think that it should remain behind closed doors as a part of a vague understanding that there is a big stick in the bedroom”, he said. According to Sheikholeslam, Iran “will do everything to renew” its support for Hamas, which Tehran lessened in retaliation to the Sunni group’s opposition to the regime of Bashar al-Assad after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war.