Military brass ‘pulled Israel from brink of war’

Israel’s prime minister and defence minister ordered the military to go on alert to prepare to attack Iran’s nuclear programme two years ago, but backed off following opposition from top security officials, an Israeli news show has claimed.

Channel 2’s Uvda (Fact) programme said the alert order met opposition from the then-military chief, Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi, who warned that Israel’s enemies would notice the measure and that in itself might touch off a war.

“This accordion produces music when you play it,” Uvda last night quoted him as saying. “This is not something you do if you are not sure you want to end up with a military operation.”

The programme said Meir Dagan, then heading the Mossad spy agency, accused prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Ehud Barak of acting illegally by not seeking Cabinet approval. They “tried to steal a decision to go to war”, Uvda quoted him as saying.