There is much anger among leaders of Israel and its security and intelligence communities after former Prime Minister Ehud Barak revealed information pertaining to three instances in which Israel almost launched an attack against Iran from 2010-2012. Some opine Netanyahu was not really going to attack, but wanted to put the idea forward and then the others would hold him back from launching such an offensive.

According to the Channel 2 News report, airing the Barak recordings on Friday night and motzei Shabbos, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu wanted to launch an offensive against Iran’s nuclear facilities in 2010 but then IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi explained there was not plan for carrying out such an attack. The prime minister’s plan to attack again in 2011 was thwarted by Minister Moshe Ya’alon and Yuval Steinitz and it was blocked once again in 2012 because it coincided with joint Israel/US military exercises and Israel feared dragging the US into the picture.

The report added that in addition to Ashkenazi opposing an attack, Mossad Director Meir Dagan was strongly opposed, as were Ministers Dan Meridor and Eli Yishai.

The material aired was taken from tapes extracted from conversation with Barak ahead of the release of a new biograph which is being written by Danny Dor and Ilan Kfir. Barak is a former IDF Chief of Staff, Defense Minister and Prime Minister, now retired from politics.

Apparently both Barak and Netanyahu felt that if the attacks were delayed for too long, Iran would succeed in protecting the nuclear facilities, making them impregnable to aerial assault.

The release of the tapes by Channel 2 has led to outrage among senior intelligence and government officials.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)