The recent escalation in rhetoric from Israeli officials insisting that Iran poses a great danger to Israel and The West because of its’ nuclear program is beginning to alarm Western leaders. Western governments are afraid that Israel may launch unilateral strikes against Iran, which could have the effect of destabilizing the Middle East.
Though their Western allies are trying to dissuade them from such actions, Israel may view Iran as an existential threat that needs to be dealt with, international consent or not. Many still say that an Iranian attack of Israel is unlikely because Iran would be destroyed by a counterstrike.
However, when the Iranian president refers to the Holocaust as a fiction and declares that the state of Israel needs to wiped out, it does make you wonder what Iran would do.
Note it is actually the religious hierarchy of Iran that would make any decisions relating to war, not President Ahmadinejad.
Israel is one of the most unique states in the modern state system. It was created in the face of an unspeakable human tragedy. Millions of Jews were exterminated during World War II. These facts leave Israel with an unprecedented national security situation.
Israel is going to do whatever it thinks it needs to do for its’ own security. They’ve never had issue going against U.S. wishes before, why would now be any different? Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail, but Western governments need to be weary of placing their own perceptions of reality on Israel.
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