- Israel Air Force Commander-in-Chief Major General Eliezer
Shakedi said Monday that Israel must be prepared for an air strike on Iran
in light of its nuclear activity.
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- But in a meeting with reporters, Shakedi wouldn't say
whether he thought Israel was capable of carrying out such a mission alone,
as it did when it bombed an unfinished Iraqi nuclear reactor near Baghdad
in 1981.
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- When asked whether Israel has a plan for the Iranian
nuclear program, Shakedi replied, "You know that for obvious reasons,
I won't say even a word."
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- But when asked whether he was confident the air force
could provide the answer to the Iranian threat, Shakedi replied, "I
must be prepared for everything."
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- The Israeli air force commander also discussed the fluid
situation in neighboring Lebanon.
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- The assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri
"can create a new picture in Lebanon," Shakedi said.
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- With Syria, Hezbollah guerrillas and Hezbollah's Iranian
benefactors all operating in Lebanon, "we understand who has interests"
in Hariri being out of the picture, he said.
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- Asked whether the IAF has changed its deployment since
the assassination, he replied, "Of course we won't let the other side
hit us."
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- "We have a job to protect the citizens of Israel,"
Shakedi said. "I hope that > there won't be a war - but you know,
no one knows."
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- http://www.haaretz.com/hasen
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