Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak have been trying to persuade a majority in the cabinet to support an Israeli military attack on Iran after having convinced the Zionist FM of adopting this move.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have been trying to persuade a majority in the cabinet to support an Israeli military attack on Iran after having convinced the Zionist Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman of adopting this move.

Haaretz reported that “senior Israeli ministers and diplomats said the International Atomic Energy Agency's report that will come out in November, will have the decisive effect on the Zionists entity’s final decision, noting this discussion is taking place while “more than a million Israelis have had to seek shelter during a week of rockets raining down on the south.”

The Israeli daily further clarified that the cabinet have disagreed over the decision. While some ministers were “publicly dropping hints on Tuesday that Israel could attack Iran”; others said that no such decision had been taken.

In parallel, Haaretz said that Netanyahu warned in a Knesst address Monday of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s increased power and influence and said: “One of those regional powers is Iran, which is continuing its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. A nuclear Iran would constitute a grave threat to the Middle East and the entire world, and of course it is a direct and grave threat on us.”

For his part, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon and Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Dan Meridor said they preferred an American not Israeli move against Iran.

Haaretz quoted Meridor as saying: “It's clear to all that a nuclear Iran is a grave danger and the whole world, led by the United States, must make constant efforts to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons… Iran's nuclearization is not only a threat to Israel but to several other Western states, and the international interest must unite here."

In contrast, Former Zionist Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer regarded Netanyahu’s proposal as a "horror scenario" and said he hoped common sense would prevail.