Medvedev: 'Peres promised that Israel won't attack Iran'; UPDATE: Peres was wrong
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was the guest on Fareed Zakaria's GPS show on CNN on Sunday. During the interview, Medvedev was asked about Russia's relations with Iran, Iran's nuclear program and the prospects that Iran will attack Israel or that Israel will attack Iran. It all starts at 7:58 below and runs until 14:14 (sorry, they did not break this video apart and I don't know how to do that myself):Let's go to the videotape.
So Medvedev says that Shimon Peres told him that Israel won't attack Iran. That was the headline here. Just one problem: Peres is a figurehead with no real power.
If Medvedev really believes that Israel won't attack Iran if it feels threatened, he is fooling himself. Shimon Peres is not in charge here. Barack Obama isn't in charge either.
UPDATE 5:19 PM
Fox News reports that Peres was wrong.
"Israel has the right to defend itself and all options are on the table," Israel Lieutenant-General Gabi Askenazi said during a rare interview on Army Radio.Heh.
The army chief's statement comes after Medvedev said on Sunday that Israeli President Shimon Peres assured him it would not attack Iran.
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon was asked by Reuters on Monday if the comment by Peres, as reported by Medvedev, was a guarantee there would be no Israeli strike on Iran.
"It is certainly not a guarantee," Ayalon said. "I don't think that, with all due respect, the Russian president is authorised to speak for Israel and certainly we have not taken any option off the table."
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:33 AM
3 Comments:
One President with no power talking to another President with no power...
Medvedev is not an authority either, just a placeholder until Putin returns.
One figurehead talks about talks with another figurehead, how pathetic!
Israel has not taken any option of the table. The report about Peres' promise appears to be incorrect and in any case its not within Israel's power to offer a guarantee about a situation that can change without warning. Iran I think, has received messages from Israel to cease and desist but it has paid no heed to them. So it should not be surprised when Israel does decide to respond.
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