Airstrikes against Iran's supposed nuclear facilities might be Israel's newest powerplay, says ex-Mossad director – a move that an Israeli daily says just deflects attention from the possible recognition of a Palestinian state Israel might strike Iranian nuclear facilities in the coming months to deflect the Palestinian move for a UN General Assembly recognition of a Palestinian state in September, Israel's daily Haartez reported. The paper said that the ex-Mossad (Israel's intelligence agency) director, Meir Dagan warning is a strong indicator that Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to launch a military offensive on Iran. Ben Caspit, a commentator with the Maariv daily, said that the intelligence and military leaders who have traditionally opposed the military option against Iran no longer form part of the government, as most of them quit in the past six months. “Dagan, Gabi Ashkenazi the former chief of staff of Israel military and Amos Yadlin were against striking Iran; only Ehud Barak, the minister of defence and Netanyahu are enthusiastic about the military option” said Caspit. Meanwhile, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper revealed in a report that a year ago Netanyahu and Barak invited the then military chief-of-staff Ashkenazi for dinner and requested his approval for an air strike on Iran nuclear facilities. The report added that Ashkenazi was praised by Israel President Shimon Peres. “He is the greatest military leader in Israel history,” Peres said at the time.
