Stabilizing Lebanon Difficult as Iran Becomes More Powerful
Israeli prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu believes that weakening Iran is key to ending the Middle East conflict and stabilizing the situation in Lebanon, a senior aide said on Tuesday.
"Iran”s growing power and intransigence give great advantage to the radical elements among Palestinians and in Lebanon," the aide said, when asked about talks Netanyahu held with outgoing Defense Minister Ehud Barak earlier in the day.
"Any progress in the Middle East peace talks will require Hamas” weakening which can be achieved only if Iran is seen as weakened," he said.
Israel accuses Iran of supplying weapons to both the Islamist rulers of Gaza and Lebanon”s Hizbullah, which fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006.
Netanyahu, a hawkish former premier who heads the right-wing Likud party, said at the meeting, which was also attended by chief of staff Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi, that he intends to focus his efforts on ending Iran”s nuclear program.
"It will be very difficult to stabilize the situation in Lebanon or to hold negotiations with the Palestinians as long as Iran”s power is on the rise," the aide quoted Netanyahu as saying.
The Likud leader, who is expected to form a narrow right-wing coalition next week, has rejected establishing a Palestinian state and has advocated what he calls an "economic peace" with the Palestinians.
This could lead to tension with the new U.S. administration after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week announced that Washington intends an "aggressive" pursuit of Middle East peace.
While expressing support for international efforts to resolve the standoff over Iran”s nuclear program by diplomatic means, Israel has repeatedly refused to rule out military action to prevent any possibility of Iran developing a bomb.
"The military option remains on the table because it gives more chance for dialogue that will lead to a compromise with Iran," the aide said.
U.S. President Barack Obama has vowed to engage in dialogue with Iran in an effort to end the nuclear standoff, in a policy break with the administration of George Bush which refused to deal with Tehran without a prior agreement to suspend nuclear enrichment.