Netanyahu's ex-deputy appears to dissent on Iran

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Netanyahu's ex-deputy appears to dissent on Iran

By Allyn Fisher-Ilan
JERUSALEM | Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:15am EDT

(Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's former top political partner put him on notice on Monday he would not back Israeli military "adventures", comments that appeared to caution against possible action against Iran.

Shaul Mofaz, now opposition leader, made the remarks less than a week after pulling his centrist Kadima party out of the governing coalition, where he served as vice premier for more than two months.

As a member of Netanyahu's security cabinet, Mofaz was privy to deliberations on Iran's nuclear program.

"Kadima will not embark on any operational adventures that will risk the future of our sons and daughters, and the future of Israel's citizens," Mofaz told a news conference that focused largely on a revolt inside Kadima by four lawmakers who wanted to rejoin the government.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/23/us-israel-iran-idUSBRE86M0KX20120723

[Ken Burch]

1. He kind of had to break with Netanyahu.

According to this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_Israeli_legislative_election#Opinion_Polling

Kadima's support had almost completely disappeared since Mofaz took the party into the coalition government. the most recent poll had Kadima winning only 3 seats in the next election.

Had Kadima stayed in Bibi's government, it would have vanished from the scene.

I'm glad Mofaz said this...but he was recognizing political reality here:

At heart, Israelis get it that Bibi is insane to be pushing for a missile strike on Iran.