[antiwar-van] Israeli intelligence chief says Iraq war next week

[hanna kawas]

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=270847&contrassID
=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0

Haaretz
Monday, March 10, 2003

MI chief now says Iraq war next week

By Gideon Alon

The American war on Iraq will begin next week, intelligence chief Maj. Gen.
Aharon Zeevi told the government yesterday.

In a review Zeevi said the U.S. would try to secure majority support for the
attack at the UN Security Council, but would still launch the attack even if
France or Russia vetoed the resolution.

Last week Zeevi told the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee
that the war could start any day beginning yesterday if the Turkish
parliament endorsed the American request to allow American forces to attack
from Turkey.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz yesterday told the government the attack is
getting nearer. At this point, he said, there is no change in instructions
to the civilian population. "We advise civilians to complete their
preparations as instructed by the Home Front Command," Mofaz said. The
defense establishment assesses the situation daily, he said.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said heads of states might be required to
attend the Security Council debate, in which case the vote would be
postponed to March 18 - a possibility since France is threatening to cast
its veto.

Ran Cohen, MK (Meretz) asked Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense
Minister Mofaz yesterday to instruct the leaders of the IDF and the defense
establishment to stop speculating on the timing of the war in Iraq. The
conceited verbosity of these Israelis gives an impression that Israel and
the Jewish people are behind this war, Sarid said.