"Jews are convenient 1st target for crazy dictatorships, but not the last," Liberman tells Croatian president.
By JPOST.COM STAFFIran president mahmoud Ahmadinejad Natanz 521 R(photo credit: REUTERS)
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman on Wednesday urged the Western world to respond decisively to Iran's behavior "because just as we have seen in the past, the Jews are the convenient first target for crazy dictatorships, but not the last."In a meeting with Croatian President Ivo Josipović and Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic, Liberman said the series of attacks carried out in recent days against Israel's embassies in India, Georgia and Thailand are further proof that the Islamic Republic "is the most damaging factor to world peace."Israel accused arch-enemy Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah of being behind twin bomb attacks that targeted Israeli embassy staff in India and Georgia on Monday and a similar attack in Bangkok on Tuesday. Tehran has denied involvement in the attacks.Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said the international community must set red lines on the Iranian nuclear program, urging the world to unequivocally condemn Iran for its attacks on Israeli diplomats abroad."The world must denounce Iran's terrorist activity and mark red lines on the Iranian nuclear program," Netanyahu told a Knesset meeting in honor of the visiting Croatian president."Iran is the largest exporter of terrorism in the world," he continued, adding that "Iran's terrorist activities are currently evident to everyone.""Iran is undermining the stability of the world. It is attacking innocent diplomats around the world. The countries of the world must condemn these acts and draw a red line against Iranian aggression. This aggression, if not stopped, will eventually spread."Netanyahu's comments came as Iranian state television announced it will unveil a new generation of its domestically made uranium enrichment centrifuges and load locally made nuclear fuel rods into its Tehran Research Reactor on Wednesday for the first time, according to Iranian state media."The fourth generation of domestically made centrifuges have higher speed and production capacity ... it will be unveiled on Wednesday," state TV said.IDF Chief of Staff Lt.- Gen. Benny Gantz also addressed the recent attacks on Wednesday, saying that Israel must stand strong in the face of regional threats.
Speaking at a memorial marking 15 years since 73 IDF soldiers died in a helicopter crash, Gantz warned that "The Iranian regime is gaining strength in its race for nuclear weapons and is trying to attack Israeli and western targets." Security Cabinet meets to discuss recent terror attacksThe Security Cabinet met Wednesday in the wake of the recent terror plots against Israelis in Georgia, India and Bangkok.Foreign Ministry and security service officials presented their assessments of the situation.The discussion covered Iran's involvement in repeated attempts to attack Israeli targets and its deep involvement in acts of terrorism around the world, as well as the preventive measures being taken against the Iranian terrorist assault, according to the prime minister's media adviser.Herb Keinon and Reuters contributed to this report.Click here for full Jpost coverage of the Iranian threat
