Israel Matzav

Iran targeting Europe

In an interview with the London Sunday Telegraph, Israel's Minister of Public Security Avi Dichter said today that he will warn US President Bush during his visit here that Iran is developing missiles that will enable it to target Europe.

A senior Israeli cabinet minister has told The Sunday Telegraph that his government is convinced Iran is intent on becoming the first Muslim superpower, with weapons capable of striking not only at Israel but also Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia as well as Greece and other parts of south-eastern Europe.

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In an exclusive interview, Avi Dichter, the Israeli minister of public security, warned that Iran was developing missiles with a range of more than 1,250 miles.

"Iran is a big, strong rich country, and that competition in leading the Muslim world is well-known to all Arab and Muslim countries," he said.

"Once you can reach with your missile double the distance between Iran and Israel, it means there is some farther target. Is it Egypt? Libya? Saudi Arabia? A European country?"

The Israeli intelligence community insists there is no proof that Iran has abandoned its weapons programme indefinitely.

Mr Dichter said it was working to develop missiles with a range that suggested ambitions beyond threatening Israel.

He said Israeli officials would warn Mr Bush that failing to take action would have serious consequences beyond the Middle East, where Iran was funding groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

But the funny part of the Telegraph piece had nothing to do with Dichter or Iran:

The Palestinian authority has deployed hundreds of extra troops in Nablus and Bethlehem as the start of a crackdown on militant groups, and Mr Dichter's Palestinian counterpart, the interior minister Abdel-Razek al-Yahya, said last week it had dismantled the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, a violent Fatah offshoot.

Palestinians also argue, however, that their efforts to crack down on militant groups are hampered by Israel's refusal to permit them to be properly equipped.

Note how you're left with the impression that the 'Palestinians' have dismantled the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. Unfortunately, we all know that's not true.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:17 PM