Israel incapable of leading Iran attack: official

Israeli Interior Defense Minister said on Thursday morning that Israel was neither responsible for, nor capable of leading an international offense against Iran, Israel's newspaper Jerusalem Post reported.

Avi Dichter, the former Shin Bet chief, was quoted by the paper as saying that "It is the role of the U.S., Europe and Russia. Israel does not have to head this campaign and I'm not convinced that Israel would succeed,"

Dichter made the comments as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was discussing with Russian leaders in Moscow about the Iranian threats to the region.

On Wednesday, Olmert said on his visit to Russia that the Israelis are greatly concerned with the Iranian nuclear program.

"I emphasized that in no case will we reconcile with nuclear arms in the hands of Iran. This is a fundamental question for us, and I made it clear that the State of Israel has no margin of error, has no privilege to err," Olmert told Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov.

One of the main purpose of Olmert's trip to Russia was to know Russia's position on the American suggestion to impose sanctions on Iran for pursuing its nuclear program, said the report.

Source: Xinhua