MK Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor) said on Friday that Israel should not attack Iran on its own. Speaking before members of a commercial and industrial club, Ben-Eliezer said, “Iran will continue to be nuclear and any sanctions will not prevent it from continuing its nuclear arms race. I do not think that Israel should be on the front line against Iran - the world should stop it.” Ben-Eliezer’s comments came a day after it was reported that Israeli President Shimon Peres plans to tell U.S. President Barack Obama that he is opposed to Israeli military action in Iran, when he visits the U.S. at the beginning of March. Later that day, Peres made different comments when addressed the Iranian threat in a speech before the annual Jerusalem meeting of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and said, “When we say all options are on the table, we mean it!” During his comments on Friday, MK Ben-Eliezer also addressed the latest developments in the Israeli political arena and said that Prime Minister Netanyahu “has no competitors, not in his party and not from other and no other parties, and he knows he has at least another six years as leader.” Using the opportunity to take a shot at the Kadima party he added, “I would suggest that the Israeli public choose between the Likud and the Labor parties. Kadima has street fighting and I do not know what will happen with them.” He then mentioned the entrance of journalist Yair Lapid into politics and added, “And as for the new leader that has befallen us, I would advise him to join either Labor or Likud.” Ben-Eliezer also addressed the failed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, saying, “[PA Chairman] Abbas will negotiate tomorrow morning if there is a construction freeze in Judea and Samaria. We froze construction for ten months, we can freeze longer so we can sit down for negotiations.” During the last construction freeze, Abbas refused to negotiate with Israel until the last minute, choosing instead to demand more pre-conditions for negotiations. Finally, Ben-Eliezer addressed Egypt and its former President, Hosni Mubarak and said, “He was one of the best leaders in the Middle East for more than 30 years and maintained good and stable relations with the State of Israel. In the early days of the protests at Tahrir Square I spoke to him and he did not think that would happened in Tunis would happened in Egypt. After three days, however, he became very angry with the Americans. Hopefully his people will remember what he did for them and not hang him in Tahrir Square.” On Thursday, a day after Mubarak’s lawyers delivered their closing remarks in his trial, the former ruler told the court that he was saddened by what he called “baseless” claims against him. Mubarak made the remarks in a memo he sent to the court and in which he expressed confidence in the judicial system and history to clear his name. (Arutz Sheva’s North American Desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)
