Former Defense Minister Yaalon Warns About Iran

YERUSHALAYIM
Former Israeli Minister of Defense Moshe Yaalon. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

“The international community is failing in its response to the states that sponsor terrorism, first and foremost, Iran,” said former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon on Tuesday at the annual Counter-Terror Conference in Herzliya.

“The one who will decide if and when Hezbollah attacks Israel is Hameini. The decision will be made in Tehran, not Lebanon.

“It should be asked how it came to be that Lebanon came to be hijacked by a terrorist organization sponsored by Iran. But the fact of the matter is that the world has grown used to this disruption of international order, and is not standing up to it.”

Islamic State, Yaalon stressed, is less important. “The Iranian dictatorship violates international agreements and spreads weapons and terror, including to Lebanon and Yemen, and pays no price for it. There is sufficient reason to renew sanctions on Iran and make them tougher,” he said.

The former defense minister and IDF chief also addressed Turkey’s role in sponsoring terrorism. “Turkey has been financing Islamic State by way of purchasing oil from IS. Turkey did not stop those who traveled from Europe to join the ranks of IS, and then to return through Turkish territory – as trained terrorists.

“And we are talking about a member of NATO…”

“We have to fight terror, and we can win. We’ve proven it. We brought quiet after a wave of suicide attacks. With determination and patience, slowly, we brought it under control. After Protective Edge, for three years Hamas hasn’t fired a single rocket at Israel. Not because they have suddenly become our friends, but because they paid a heavy price, they are deterred…”

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