Former Shin Bet director Yuval Diskin told a central Israel conference that regarding Iran, he does not trust Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu or Defense Minister Ehud Barak regarding the Iranian nuclear threat.

He told participants in the conference the two most senior ministers are presenting the public at large with a “mirage” and he warns that a military strike against Iran will just compel Tehran to pick up efforts towards producing an atomic bomb.

He then turned to peace-making efforts, adding that regarding peace agreements between Israel and Egypt and Jordan, those agreement were achieved because Israeli leaders actually wanted peace but in the case of the current administration, the prime minister is aware than any such gesture will bring down his coalition. He feels the clock is running out on the PA (Palestinian Authority) front and if an agreement is not actualized in two years, the situation will most likely worsen.

Regarding the domestic situation, rising tensions between various factions of the country, Diskin feels there are many settlers who are willing to use firearms against others and the Rabin assassination scenario may repeat itself in the future. He feels recent confrontations between residents of yishuvim and outposts and IDF forces are indicative of the current reality and feels some of the residents of yishuvim might use weapons against others.

Defense Ministry officials point out Diskin does not comment on past decision made by the two senior ministers during his tenure, but only on the future, which no longer includes him as head of the Shin Bet.

Minister Yossi Peled accuses Diskin of place a rod in the spoke of international efforts against Iran.

Ynet quotes another cabinet minister anonymously, saying “He perpetuates a grand legacy of moronic Shin Bet chiefs.”

Minister Silvan Shalom advised Diskin and others to remove comments on the Iranian situation from the public forum.

Minister Limor Livnat stated Diskin’s conduct is simply unacceptable.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)