NATO sees Israel tackling Iran alone

By · July 10, 2007

NATO leaders reportedly told Israel that it would have to stop Iran’s nuclear program alone.

Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who visited NATO headquarters in Brussels two weeks ago, came away with the impression that Western powers are unwilling to resort to pre-emptive military strikes to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, Yediot Achronot reported Tuesday.

“We’re stuck in Afghanistan, and European and American troops are wallowing in the Iraqi quagmire, which is something that is going to prevent the leaders of countries in Europe and America from deciding on the use of force to destroy Iran nuclear facilities,” the newspaper quoted an unnamed NATO leader as telling Lieberman.

“Therefore, at the end of the day, Israel is going to have to remove the nuclear threat posed by Iran with the means at its disposal, and it won’t be able to count on international cooperation.”

Lieberman’s office had no immediate comment on the report. But interviewed on Army Radio, Lieberman said he felt the “spirit of Chamberlain” in Europe when the Iranian threat was discussed – a reference to the British prime minister who notoriously tried to appease Adolf Hitler before World War II.