Making an appearance before the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee on Monday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak told committee members the Iranian nuclear facility in Qom can withstand regular shelling, and damaging or eliminating the facility is no easy feat. He explained the installation is so far beneath the ground, buried deep under concrete, such an assault is not simple.

The Iranian Threat:

He reported that the Iranians do indeed have missiles that can reach Israel, and a major terrorist incident can serve all the terror organizations, and if Iranian does attack, Hamas and Hizbullah could join in.

The minister commented on the closing Gregorian year, a quite one from a defense perspective, which he attributes to the 2006 Second Lebanon War and Operation Cast Lead in 2008, which restored Israel’s deterrence abilities.

The Hizbullah & Hamas Threats:

Regarding the threat from southern Lebanon, Barak confirmed that Hizbullah has over 40,000 rockets. The picture from Gaza is not any more comforting, with the minister explaining that since Operation Cast Lead, Hamas has been rearming and retraining and the terrorist regime is now stronger than it was then.

The minister expressed criticism over the lack of response from the free world regarding the response to protests in Iran, explaining the regime is crushing citizens, who simply seek a normal life, and the world’s inaction and lack of response leaves one “uneasy”.

The 10-Month Construction Freeze:

Barak explained this was the decision reached by the cabinet, and an exceptions committee has been set up. The committee will permit continued construction on 84 housing units in the initial stage of construction as well as 700 housing units which are in the post-foundation stage of construction.

Threats and Opportunities:

The upcoming Gregorian calendar year, 2010, the minister believes will provide opportunities as well as threats, explaining today, the international community is not just focused on Israel, but is occupied with the world financial crisis, global terrorism, and nuclear weaponry.

Negotiations with the PA & Demographic Realities:

Barak also addressed the PA (Palestinian Authority) front, explaining that there is one alternative to negotiations, and that is a dead end, namely warfare, a confrontation with Hamas. He emphasized the IDF remains strong, but negotiations are preferable.

He called the creation of a Palestinian state “our advantage” since he feels this would serve to “control the Palestinians” living between Jordan and the ocean, and avoid an unwanted reality, a State of Israel with an Arab majority.

The other possibility he warned, other than an Arab majority, is an apartheid state, which he explained no one wants, both negating the “Zionist vision”.

The Hesder Yeshivot Crisis:

Barak praised hesder’s contribution to the nation and the IDF, but emphasized protest within the IDF simply cannot be tolerated. He defended his position, which demands maintaining a chain of command in the military.

Eldad Protests – Leaves the Meeting:

Barak’s appearance before the high-level committee did not go entirely smoothly as committee member MK (Ichud HaLeumi) Prof. Aryeh Eldad demanded the minister retract his statement comparing some settlers to members of the outlawed IRA, the armed Irish resistance fighters. Due to his persistent protests demanding an apology, Eldad was instructed to leave the session.

A party colleague of Eldad, MK Dr. Ari Ben-Ari, an alternate member of the committee, accused Barak of failing to equate his ordered removal of military checkpoints with last week’s fatal shooting attack near Shavei Shomron which claimed the life of Rabbi Meir Avshalom Chai HY”D.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)