Israel and Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions – Political or Military Action?

Israel Debates is released as online publication of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Israel. Each edition presents opinions of two authors who express controversial views about major events of Israeli interior or foreign politics. The present publication of Israel Debates presents the Israeli domestic discussion about Israeli and Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions – Political or Military Action?

Dr. Zvi Bar’el, Middle East correspondent for the daily newspaper Ha’aretz, concludes, first, that Iran is indeed a rational actor, even if its rationality does not accord with Western conceptions. He outlines why Iran is perceived by the majority of people and political leaders in Israel as an existential threat and why the debate no longer revolves around whether, but when and how an Israeli military operation should take place.

Prof. Efraim Inbar of Bar Ilan University, on the other hand, believes there is almost no remaining leeway for diplomacy and politics. He assumes that Israel will soon act militarily.

March 2012.

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