Former Mossad chief calls Israeli leadership ‘reckless’

Meir Dagan

By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | intelNews.org
The man who headed for eight years Israel’s most powerful spy agency has launched a new round of serious criticisms against the country’s political leadership. Meir Dagan, who led the Mossad from 2002 until January of this year, told Israeli newspapers that Israel’s current government is led by “reckless and irresponsible” people, who will not hesitate to engage in military adventurism abroad to ensure their political primacy at home. Israeli commentators interpret these comments as a reference to a reputed military attack by Tel Aviv against Iran’s nuclear energy program installations. Dagan’s comments follow similar criticisms he leveled against the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month. Speaking at a conference held at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, he warned that any military action against Iran would be “patently illegal under international law” and that it would probably not achieve its goals, since Iranian nuclear installations are deliberately dispersed in locations across that vast country. Consequently, the widespread nature of the attack could lead to a prolonged war, “the kind of thing where we know how it starts, but not how it will end”, he told conference participants. Last week, Dagan blamed the Israeli government for failing to engage in a dialogue with the Palestinian Authority. He also expressed fears that Israeli military leaders who favor restraint and diplomacy have been sidelined in favor of a new generation of hawkish commanders. Reacting to Dagan’s latest criticisms, Israel’s Science and Technology Minister, Daniel Hershkowitz, urged the government to issue an indictment against the former Mossad chief, for “compromising state security”. Similar calls were issued by Pihchas Fischler, attorney for quality government control watchdog Ometz.