Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TELAVIV3431
2006-08-28 15:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
(C) STEINITZ'S MEETING WITH CODEL SHAYS: URGES
how-tonull Leza L Olson 08/29/2006 09:53:52 AM From DB/Inbox: Leza L Olson Cable Text: C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 03431 SIPDIS CXTelA: ACTION: POL INFO: IPSC ECON DCM ADM RSO PD IMO RES CONS DAO AMB AID DISSEMINATION: POL CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: DCM:GCRETZ DRAFTED: ECON:BMASILKO CLEARED: ECON: WWEINSTEIN, POL: NOLSEN VZCZCTVI219 PP RUEHC RUEHJM DE RUEHTV #3431 2401553 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 281553Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5952 INFO RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 4332
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 003431
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2016
TAGS: POL PREL KWBG LE IR IS
SUBJECT: (C) STEINITZ'S MEETING WITH CODEL SHAYS: URGES
ACTION ON IRAN
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 003431
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2016
TAGS: POL PREL KWBG LE IR IS
SUBJECT: (C) STEINITZ'S MEETING WITH CODEL SHAYS: URGES
ACTION ON IRAN
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: In a August 17 meeting with Codel Shays,
Likud Knesset member Yuval Steinitz expressed disappointment
with the GOI handling of the recent conflict in Lebanon.
Steinitz holds the Lebanese government responsible for
neither stopping Hizballah nor offering to intervene when
only southern Lebanon was under Israeli bombardment. He
described daily threatening TV broadcasts from Syria as
evidence of the "Iranian interest." Steinitz said that Iran
wants not only to destroy Israel, but also to become a world
nuclear superpower. Comparing the Iranian leader to Hitler,
Steinitz urged the U.S. to use brute force in dealing with
Iran. End summary.
2. (C) In an August 17 meeting, Steinitz told Codel Shays
that since the founding of the State of Israel, GOI military
strategy has been to immediately move fighting onto enemy
territory in order to defend civilian centers. Steinitz
explained that since the territory of Israel is small, this
is the only viable defensive option, and that in the recent
conflict the government failed to follow this rule. Steinitz
added that it was airpower from the IAF that inflicted the
most damage in Lebanon, destroying Hizballah intelligence
centers, headquarters and infrastructure. Steinitz claimed
that the entire Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee of the
Knesset shares his view that it should not have taken the
government four weeks of daily bombardment of one-third of
the country before the IDF entered Lebanon. While conceding
that a ground invasion would have resulted in more IDF
casualties, Steinitz said that it would have reduced civilian
casualties and economic damage.
3. (C) Steinitz said that Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora is
strong enough to fight Hizballah if he decides that it is a
priority. Steinitz made clear that he holds the Lebanese
government responsible for the hostilities ignited by
Hizballah, because "they did nothing to try to stop them, and
they did nothing when Israel was only bombing the south (of
Lebanon)." He cautioned that resupply of arms to Hizballah
will be the test of UNSCR 1701, and pointed out ruefully that
the resupply of arms was also prohibited under UNSCR 1559.
4. (C) Turning to the emerging threat from Syria, Steinitz
asserted that Syrian forces are at the highest state of alert
for a possible conflict with Israel. Daily barrages of
anti-Israel messages by Syrian President Assad are broadcast
on Syrian TV. Hypothesizing that this might all be an
expression of what he said is the Iranian interest to unite
the Arab world under an umbrella of anti-Israel sentiment,
Steinitz declared that Iranian hegemony in the Arab world
would lead to conflagration.
5. (C) Describing Iranian mid- and long-range missile
capabilities, Steinitz argued that Israel is clearly Iran's
first target, but that Iran's real desire is regional
hegemony and to be a world nuclear superpower. Steinitz
assessed that U.S. forces in Iraq serve as a potential
restraint on Iranian ambitions. Steinitz urged the U.S. to
find "a big stick and wave it strongly in their (Iran's)
face." Steinitz predicted that this is the only hope to turn
Iran into Libya, and to convince the Iranian leadership to
surrender its nuclear program. He urged use of brute force
in dealing with Iran because "with such countries the stick
works better than the carrot." Steinitz compared Ahmadinejad
to Hitler and said that the solution is "dealing with him
while he is still building his forces."
6. (U) Codel Shays was not able to clear this message before
departure.
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2016
TAGS: POL PREL KWBG LE IR IS
SUBJECT: (C) STEINITZ'S MEETING WITH CODEL SHAYS: URGES
ACTION ON IRAN
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: In a August 17 meeting with Codel Shays,
Likud Knesset member Yuval Steinitz expressed disappointment
with the GOI handling of the recent conflict in Lebanon.
Steinitz holds the Lebanese government responsible for
neither stopping Hizballah nor offering to intervene when
only southern Lebanon was under Israeli bombardment. He
described daily threatening TV broadcasts from Syria as
evidence of the "Iranian interest." Steinitz said that Iran
wants not only to destroy Israel, but also to become a world
nuclear superpower. Comparing the Iranian leader to Hitler,
Steinitz urged the U.S. to use brute force in dealing with
Iran. End summary.
2. (C) In an August 17 meeting, Steinitz told Codel Shays
that since the founding of the State of Israel, GOI military
strategy has been to immediately move fighting onto enemy
territory in order to defend civilian centers. Steinitz
explained that since the territory of Israel is small, this
is the only viable defensive option, and that in the recent
conflict the government failed to follow this rule. Steinitz
added that it was airpower from the IAF that inflicted the
most damage in Lebanon, destroying Hizballah intelligence
centers, headquarters and infrastructure. Steinitz claimed
that the entire Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee of the
Knesset shares his view that it should not have taken the
government four weeks of daily bombardment of one-third of
the country before the IDF entered Lebanon. While conceding
that a ground invasion would have resulted in more IDF
casualties, Steinitz said that it would have reduced civilian
casualties and economic damage.
3. (C) Steinitz said that Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora is
strong enough to fight Hizballah if he decides that it is a
priority. Steinitz made clear that he holds the Lebanese
government responsible for the hostilities ignited by
Hizballah, because "they did nothing to try to stop them, and
they did nothing when Israel was only bombing the south (of
Lebanon)." He cautioned that resupply of arms to Hizballah
will be the test of UNSCR 1701, and pointed out ruefully that
the resupply of arms was also prohibited under UNSCR 1559.
4. (C) Turning to the emerging threat from Syria, Steinitz
asserted that Syrian forces are at the highest state of alert
for a possible conflict with Israel. Daily barrages of
anti-Israel messages by Syrian President Assad are broadcast
on Syrian TV. Hypothesizing that this might all be an
expression of what he said is the Iranian interest to unite
the Arab world under an umbrella of anti-Israel sentiment,
Steinitz declared that Iranian hegemony in the Arab world
would lead to conflagration.
5. (C) Describing Iranian mid- and long-range missile
capabilities, Steinitz argued that Israel is clearly Iran's
first target, but that Iran's real desire is regional
hegemony and to be a world nuclear superpower. Steinitz
assessed that U.S. forces in Iraq serve as a potential
restraint on Iranian ambitions. Steinitz urged the U.S. to
find "a big stick and wave it strongly in their (Iran's)
face." Steinitz predicted that this is the only hope to turn
Iran into Libya, and to convince the Iranian leadership to
surrender its nuclear program. He urged use of brute force
in dealing with Iran because "with such countries the stick
works better than the carrot." Steinitz compared Ahmadinejad
to Hitler and said that the solution is "dealing with him
while he is still building his forces."
6. (U) Codel Shays was not able to clear this message before
departure.
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES