Israel will defend itself, defence minister warns Iran
Israel's Iranian-born defence minister, Shaul Mofaz, has warned that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will 'bring destruction' on his own people if he pursues extremist ambitions.
While relying 'at present' on international efforts to forestall Tehran's nuclear plans, Mr Mofaz said Israel would take matters into its own hands if necessary.
'I want to address President Ahmadinejad, who is from the city where I was born,' he said. 'I address you as someone who leads his country with an ideology of hate, terror and anti-semitism. I suggest you look at history and see what happened to others who tried to wipe out the Jewish people. In the end they brought destruction on their own people.'
The two men come from Garmsar, southeast of Tehran. Mr Mofaz emigrated to Israel with his family in 1957, aged nine. Mr Ahmadinejad was born there in 1956.
Mr Mofaz's mention of his roots may have been intended to counter Mr Ahmadinejad's call for Israelis to be 'sent back' to Europe.
Half of Israeli Jews originate from the Muslim world, including Iran, which was the birthplace of Israeli President Moshe Katsav.
Mr Ahmadinejad has also called for Israel 'to be wiped off the face of the Earth' and doubted whether the Holocaust occurred.
Mr Mofaz's warning to Iran was the sharpest yet from an Israeli leader. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who remains in a coma after a stroke three weeks ago, had been circumspect on the subject, saying the issue was not one on which Israel was taking the lead.
Noting the international community was preparing to bring the matter to the UN, Mr Mofaz declared: 'Israel is not prepared to accept the nuclear arming of Iran and it must prepare to defend itself, with all that that implies.'
The minister's remarks were sharply criticised by some Israelis who accused him of electioneering.
