Top Israeli Officials Lash Out At Mofaz over Iran Threat

June 8, 2008 10:25 a.m. EST

Jerusalem, Israel (AHN) - Israeli defense officials on Sunday condemned Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz for threatening attacks against Iran, accusing him of boosting his own political standing.

On Friday, Mofaz said said in a newspaper interview that Israeli military strikes were "unavoidable" if Iran doesn't stop developing nuclear weapons.

"Other options are disappearing. The sanctions are not effective. There will be no alternative but to attack Iran in order to stop the Iranian nuclear program," Mofaz told Israel's Yediot Aharonot newspaper.

"Turning one of the most strategic security issues into a political game, using it for the internal purposes of a would-be campaign in Kadima, is something that must not be done," Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai told Israel Radio.

Vilnai added that Mofaz, whose comments were partly blamed for a record oil price surge, was using the issue to gain political leverage and against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's leadership and policy.

Several political and market analysts have blamed Mofaz's comments as one of the factors causing the biggest single-day rise of almost $11 in oil prices, setting a new record of of $138.54 a barrel.

Mofaz, who is infrastructure minister and a senior member of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Kadima party, is trying to position himself in the country's political arena as Olmert may be forced to step down over corruption allegations.

Although Olmert has denied taking $500,000 in bribes or illegal campaign donations, he has indicated he will resign if indicted.