Strategic Threats on Israel Rising

Strategic threats on Israel have increased in the past year, Israel's military intelligence chief, Major-General Amos Yadlin, assessed Tuesday during a speech at Haifa University.

• The prime reason was Iran?s determination to attain nuclear weapons and the fact that Tehran renewed research and development in the field. ?Until recently, Europe had succeeded in freezing the continuation of Iranian nuclear development - for nearly 2.5 years.?



• The weakening of the American drive and the changes in the Middle East caused by events in Iraq.



• Another factor was the adoption of the democratic model, which now aids many extremist organizations to seize power positions and be legitimized in their countries ? as happened with the Hizbullah in Lebanon, the Hamas in the Palestinian Authority and the Muslim Brotherhood which has gained strength in Egypt.



• Yadlin noted Hamas? rise to power and increasing faith in the success of Palestinian resistance through terrorism, ... that by military force alone he would make Israel retreat from south Lebanon, with no diplomatic compromise. This trend was positively reinforced by Israel?s disengagement from the Gaza Strip, he said.



• Yadlin added that owing to the West?s intense preoccupation in Iranian affairs, pressures on Syria and Hizbullah have waned.



• Contrary to threats heard from al-Qaeda in the late ?90s, when Israel was on a low place in the list of targets, recent rhetoric and activities emanating from Osama Bin Laden?s organization tend to frequently focus on Israel and the Middle East.



• The last element on the list was the rise in petrol prices. ... When a barrel of oil cost USD 20, Iran was on the verge of bankruptcy, but now the price of a barrel is reaching USD 70, ?and every dollar from every barrel of oil sold means another billion in Ahmadinejad?s budget.?