US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV1588

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001588 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2015 
TAGS: OREP, PGOV, PINR, PREL, KPAL, MNUC, IS, IR, GOI EXTERNAL, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS 
SUBJECT: LABOR MK SNEH TELLS SENATOR CORZINE ISRAEL CANNOT 
ACCEPT NUCLEAR IRAN 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer for reasons 1.4 (b,d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary: Labor MK Ephraim Sneh told visiting Senator 
Jon Corzine and the Ambassador March 14 that he sees military 
action against Iran's nuclear program as only a last resort. 
Sneh advocated external support for popular efforts for 
regime change in Iran, but stressed that the change has to 
come from within Iran.  Sneh said he was optimistic about 
developments between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, 
but contended that Israel would view a strong Hamas showing 
in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections this July as 
problematic.  Senator Corzine stressed the need for Israel to 
do all it can --  without compromising its security -- to 
ensure that PA President Abu Mazen succeeds.  Sneh praised 
the Palestinian Authority for arresting terrorists and 
identifying explosives workshops, but stressed the difficulty 
the GOI faces in turning over control of areas in the West 
Bank and Gaza to the PA, as it requires the GOI to place 
trust in the PA and, perhaps, compromise Israel's security. 
End Summary. 
 
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Israel Cannot Tolerate Iran Threat 
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2.  (C) Labor MK Ephraim Sneh highlighted to Senator Corzine 
and the Ambassador in a March 14 meeting what he 
characterized as the threat presented by a nuclear Iran.  He 
stressed that Israel, as a Jewish state and with its history, 
cannot accept the combination of an "anti-Jewish state with 
huge military power."  He underscored that Israel could not 
"tolerate" the Iranian situation as it stands, noting that 
"(Israel's) ability to negotiate with Arab states is 
compromised with this threat."  Sneh assessed that Iran's 
missile range presently covers the "entire Gulf area" and 
that Iran is continuing to develop its enrichment capability. 
 "We think it will be one-and-a-half years until (Iran) can 
produce (enriched) material without external support," Sneh 
assessed, and that it would take "another year and a half (to 
produce nuclear weapons.)"  Ambassador Kurtzer pointed out 
that the GOI and USG have similar data, but that the GOI has 
assessed that Iran would become "independent" at an earlier 
date.  Senator Corzine underlined that the situation with 
Iran is "very disconcerting" and that the USG would not 
"stand by when Israel is imperiled." 
 
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Encourage Regime Change in Iran 
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3.  (C) Sneh dismissed as "stupid" and "baseless" claims in a 
March 13 article in The Sunday Times of London that the U.S. 
gave Israel a "green light" to take military action against 
Iran.  Despite the threat that Iran presents, Sneh said, he 
is "not preaching for a preemptive strike."  Sneh stressed 
that other options should be explored, such as "helping the 
Iranian people to change their regime."  The Iranian people, 
in Sneh's view, are "thirsty for democracy" and should be 
encouraged.  He underlined, however, that regime change in 
Iran should be at the hands of the Iranian people, not 
through outside military action.  The USG, Sneh suggested, 
could encourage the Iranian people to initiate change by 
promising that a different regime would receive USG 
assistance. 
 
4.  (C) Sneh charged that the USG sent the wrong signal to 
the Iranian government by closing the Washington office of 
the Mujahadeen Khalq.  Sneh contended that the group no 
longer merits inclusion on the U.S. list of terrorist 
organizations because, he said, it had committed no terrorist 
acts since killing Americans in the 1970s.  The "easiest way" 
to send a strong signal to the Iranian government that the 
USG is serious about its demands would be to remove the 
terrorist designation from the Iranian opposition group and 
allow it to reopen its Washington offices.  He said the group 
has strong popular backing in the U.S. and Europe, having 
brought 15,000 supporters to Washington for a demonstration. 
Sneh said that he raised this issue with then-Under Secretary 
Grossman when Sneh was last in Washington. 
 
5.  (C) Senator Corzine asked whether the GOI has any 
indications of other countries in the region developing 
nuclear capabilities.  Sneh said the GOI has some 
"suspicions," but "no proof." 
 
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Worries About Hamas 
------------------- 
 
6.  (C) Sneh said that he is "optimistic" about the current 
dynamics between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), 
but expressed concern about a possible strong showing by 
Hamas in the July Palestinian Legislative Council elections. 
Senator Corzine stressed the importance of Israel "doing all 
it can" to help PA President Abu Mazen without compromising 
Israel's security.  Sneh commented that discussions are 
ongoing within the Israeli "security apparatus" about how 
much control over Palestinian territory to give to the PA. 
The GOI is weighing the need to give the PA more security 
responsibility against the security risk, Sneh said.  He 
commended the PA for detaining terrorists and discovering 
explosives workshops, cooperation, he noted, that has not 
been publicized. 
 
7.  (U) Senator Corzine did not have an opportunity to clear 
this message before leaving the country. 
 
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KURTZER