RAMALLAH, 14 March 2005 — Israel has drawn up plans for a combined air and ground attack on Iranian nuclear installations should diplomatic efforts fail to halt Tehran’s nuclear program, a report in the Sunday Times said.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s inner Cabinet gave “initial authorization” for an attack at a private meeting in February on his ranch in the Negev Desert, the weekly said.
“Israeli forces have used a mock-up of Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant in the desert to practice destroying it,” the Sunday Times said.
It added the operation would include raids by Israel’s elite Shaldag (Kingfisher) commando unit and airstrikes by F-15 jets from 69 Squadron, using bunker-busting bombs to penetrate underground facilities.
Israel has discussed its plans with American officials who have indicated that the United States would not prevent such an attack in the event that efforts by the international community fail to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Britain, France and Germany have been trying to secure “objective guarantees” that Iran will not use its atomic energy ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons, and in exchange they are offering a package of trade, security, diplomatic and technology benefits to the Islamic republic.
Ideally, the Europeans would like to see Iran call a permanent halt to its uranium enrichment activities, which are currently suspended. Iran maintains it has the right to enrich uranium to produce atomic fuel, but once mastered the fuel cycle can be diverted to military purposes.
In another development, Israel is to begin work within weeks on a second wall separating the Jewish state from the Gaza Strip, public radio reported yesterday.
The Defense Ministry is to appoint contractors this week to go ahead with the construction that seeks to prevent Palestinian infiltrations into Israel. Being built on Israeli territory and set to measure 70 meters (230 feet) wide, security devices, such as unmanned vehicles, security cameras and sensors will be erected in the no-man’s land between the two fences, the radio said.
Work on the wall is due to be completed before Israel begins its planned three-to-four-week evacuation of all 8,000 Jewish settlers and Israeli soldiers from occupied Gaza from July 20.
The existing wall was built one year after the 1993 Oslo accords, more or less along the 1967 Green Line, almost hermetically sealing the Palestinians living in the 362 square kilometer territory.
Also, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said yesterday he was encouraged by developments in the Middle East peace process as he held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the start of his first visit to the region in four years. “We’ve all been very encouraged by recent developments including the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement and we as a member of the quartet we look forward to working... in moving the process forward,” Annan said before the meeting.
Meanwhile, Israeli and Palestinian Cabinet ministers will meet today to discuss a planned Israeli Army pullback from West Bank cities, a senior Palestinian official said yesterday. The pullback promised by Israel in advance of a February peace summit was delayed by a dispute last week over handing over the city of Jericho when Palestinians demanded the removal of a checkpoint Israel wants to keep in place.
A senior official said the new meeting was set during talks held yesterday by Dov Weisglass, an aide to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian official Saeb Erekat.
The planned meeting of Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Youssef and Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz today would be the first to discuss the handover of West Bank cities since a meeting of military officials broke off last Wednesday.
— With input from agencies
