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TDS
La gaffe nucleare di Olmert gli rovina il ritorno a casa.
La gaffe nucleare di Olmert gli rovina il ritorno a casa.
Redazionale del Daily Star
Mercoledì 13 dicembre 2006
Un summit israelo-tedesco con lo scopo di mantenere la pressione internazionale contro le ambizioni nucleari dell’Iran ha perso il suo "momento", ieri, dopo che il premier Ehud Olmert publicamente ha ammesso che Israele possiede l’unico arsenale atomico della regione. Israele, per decenni, si è rifiutato di ammettere o di negare che possiede la bomba atomica.
Ma Olmert, lunedì, ha infranto il tabù durante un’intervista con una stazione televisiva tedesca all’inizio del suo visita a Berlino.
Ma Olmert, lunedì, ha infranto il tabù durante un’intervista con una stazione televisiva tedesca all’inizio del suo visita a Berlino.
"L’Iran, apertamente, esplicitamente e pubblicamente minaccia di spazzare via Israele dalla mappa", ha detto. "Potete affermare che ciò rappresenti lo stesso livello, quando essi aspirano ad avere armi nucleari come America, Francia, Israele, Russia?". Le dichiarazioni hanno scatenato una tempesta politica in Israele, mentre il capo del Gulf Cooperation Council è stato sollecito a richiedere l’applicazione del capitolo Sette della Carta dell’Onu che prevede l’imposizione di sanzioni contro Israele.
"Gli Usa non dovrebbero appllicare i doppi standard mentre lanciano appelli per sanzionare paesi che hanno programmi nucleari che noi non abbiamo regolamentato", ha dichiarato Abdel-Rahman al-Atiyya durante la conferenza in Kuwait per potenziare la collaborazione tra gli stati del Golfo e la NATO.
Il parlamentare del Likud (partito di destra, all’opposizione),Yuval Steinitz, ha chiesto a Olmert di dimettersi dopo aver fatto "una gaffe irresponsabile che mette in gioco una politica di mezzo secolo".
Mordechai Vanunu, che ha passato 18 anni in prigione dopo aver spifferato il programma nucleare israeliano nel 1986, ha ben accolto le dichiarazioni del premiere, dicendo alla AFP: "Le affermazioni di Olmert non sono nulla di nuovo, ma è una buona cosa che Israele abbia deciso di renderle pubbliche".
"Il mondo, ora, non dovrebbe solo parlare dell’Iran ma anche di Israele come minaccia nucleare con cui avere a che fare, in modo da creare un Medio Oriente libero dal nucleare e da portare la pace".
"Il mondo, ora, non dovrebbe solo parlare dell’Iran ma anche di Israele come minaccia nucleare con cui avere a che fare, in modo da creare un Medio Oriente libero dal nucleare e da portare la pace".
Testo integrale:
TDS
Nuclear gaffe haunts Olmert back home
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Nuclear gaffe haunts Olmert back home
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
An Israeli-German summit aimed to maintain international pressure against Iran’s nuclear ambitions lost momentum Tuesday after Premier Ehud Olmert publicly implied Israel has the region’s only nuclear arsenal. Israel has for decades refused to admit or deny it has the atomic bomb.
But Olmert broke the taboo in an interview Monday with a German television station as he began a visit to Berlin.
But Olmert broke the taboo in an interview Monday with a German television station as he began a visit to Berlin.
"Iran, openly, explicitly and publicly threatens to wipe Israel off the map," he said. "Can you say that this is the same level, when they are aspiring to have nuclear weapons, as America, France, Israel, Russia?" [enfasi aggiunta]
The remarks triggered a political storm in Israel as the head of the Gulf Cooperation Council was quick to demand the application of the UN Charter’s Chapter Seven that provides for imposing sanctions on Israel.
"The United States should not apply double standards since it calls for sanctions on countries that have nuclear programs that we have not ruled out are framework [for] nuclear weapons," Abdel-Rahman al-Atiyya said along the sidelines of the conference in Kuwait to enhance cooperation between the Gulf states and NATO.
Right-wing opposition Likud MP Yuval Steinitz called on Olmert to quit after having made "an irresponsible slip which puts into question a policy that dates back almost half a century."
"The staggering comments of Ehud Olmert only serve to reinforce the doubts on his capacity to remain prime minister," said leftist MP Yossi Beilin.
"The staggering comments of Ehud Olmert only serve to reinforce the doubts on his capacity to remain prime minister," said leftist MP Yossi Beilin.
Mordechai Vanunu, who served 18 years in jail after blowing the whistle on Israel’s nuclear program in 1986, welcomed the premier’s remarks, telling AFP: "Olmert’s remark is nothing new, but it is a good thing that Israel decided to make it public."
"The world should now not only talk about Iran but also about Israel as a nuclear threat that has to be dealt with in order to make a nuclear-free Middle East and bring peace."
Olmert spokeswoman Miri Eisin was quick to deny that Olmert had admitted to Israel having nuclear weapons, saying that "Israel will not be the first country to introduce nuclear weapons to the region."
The Israeli premier stuck to the same line on Tuesday, telling a news conference after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel: "Israel will not be the first country to introduce nuclear weapons to the region. That is our policy and it has not changed. There is no need to explain it any further."
For her part, Merkel criticized both Iran and Syria for failing to play a constructive role in wider attempts to find a lasting, peaceful solution for the Middle East.
"We wish that everyone in the region would play a positive role, but unfortunately at the moment, I don’t see the situation as I would like it," Merkel said.
Yet she insisted forging Middle East peace will not be possible without involving Syria.
"Syria is simply there as a partner in the region. It is a country in the region and it is important that we tell Syria what expectations we have of it.
"I don’t believe that one can arrive at a comprehensive peace solution in the Middle East without bringing in Syria in some way," she said.
On Iran, she said the international community must use all diplomatic options, including sanctions, to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons. "It must be unmistakable and clear to Iran that [getting a nuclear weapon] would not be acceptable," Merkel said.
"That is why the time has come … not just to think about, but to work on sanctions."
Olmert said that if current international efforts "are consistent and firm, there is a good chance of bringing about the outcome that we seek."
On Middle East peace, Merkel said she planned to use Germany’s upcoming EU presidency to revive the stalled peace process and that the "Quartet" should play a key role.
Olmert said that his country is making an "exceptional effort" to launch a dialogue with the Palestinians on the basis of the so-called "road map."
He added that he would also welcome efforts by "moderate Arab states" to try to prod the peace process along. – Agencies
"The world should now not only talk about Iran but also about Israel as a nuclear threat that has to be dealt with in order to make a nuclear-free Middle East and bring peace."
Olmert spokeswoman Miri Eisin was quick to deny that Olmert had admitted to Israel having nuclear weapons, saying that "Israel will not be the first country to introduce nuclear weapons to the region."
The Israeli premier stuck to the same line on Tuesday, telling a news conference after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel: "Israel will not be the first country to introduce nuclear weapons to the region. That is our policy and it has not changed. There is no need to explain it any further."
For her part, Merkel criticized both Iran and Syria for failing to play a constructive role in wider attempts to find a lasting, peaceful solution for the Middle East.
"We wish that everyone in the region would play a positive role, but unfortunately at the moment, I don’t see the situation as I would like it," Merkel said.
Yet she insisted forging Middle East peace will not be possible without involving Syria.
"Syria is simply there as a partner in the region. It is a country in the region and it is important that we tell Syria what expectations we have of it.
"I don’t believe that one can arrive at a comprehensive peace solution in the Middle East without bringing in Syria in some way," she said.
On Iran, she said the international community must use all diplomatic options, including sanctions, to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons. "It must be unmistakable and clear to Iran that [getting a nuclear weapon] would not be acceptable," Merkel said.
"That is why the time has come … not just to think about, but to work on sanctions."
Olmert said that if current international efforts "are consistent and firm, there is a good chance of bringing about the outcome that we seek."
On Middle East peace, Merkel said she planned to use Germany’s upcoming EU presidency to revive the stalled peace process and that the "Quartet" should play a key role.
Olmert said that his country is making an "exceptional effort" to launch a dialogue with the Palestinians on the basis of the so-called "road map."
He added that he would also welcome efforts by "moderate Arab states" to try to prod the peace process along. – Agencies
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