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Olmert: "Israel Should Not Be on the Forefront of a War Against Iran"

(TIME) Romesh Ratnesar - Q: Would Israel take military action to stop Iran's nuclear program? Olmert: I genuinely don't think Israel should be on the forefront of this war. I don't know why people think this is first and foremost a war for Israel. It's a problem for every civilized country. Iran is a major threat to the well-being of Europe and America just as much as it is for the State of Israel. I don't think America can tolerate the idea of a leader of a nation of 30 million people who can openly speak of the liquidation of another country. Q: Do you see any prospect for negotiations with Hamas if they moderate their rhetoric? Olmert: They can't just change their rhetoric....They need to change entirely their state of mind about Israel's existence. It's so much deeper than rhetoric. To just believe that if Ismail Haniyeh tomorrow starts using different words, that will make the difference? No way....Their inability to accept the existence of two states and their total dedication to an Islamic religious fundamentalist state all across the Middle East to Africa and Asia is still their most dominant driving force.
2006-04-10 00:00:00
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