IRAN IS A SERIOUS MENACE FOR ISRAEL, SAYS GENERAL SHAUL MOFAZ

PARIS 4 Jun. (IPS)    "Israel must take the menaces from Iranian Shahab-3 missile and its efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction (WMD) very seriously and be prepared to neutralise it", said Israel's Chief of Joint Staff, general Shaul Mofaz.

Answering questions from unidentified people who had faxed their questions to him via the Persian service of Kol Israel, the Iranian-born general explained that Iran, while directs terrorist operations against Israel via the Lebanese Hezbollah, at the same time, is increasing the power of the Shahab-3 missiles, -- which has a range of 1.300 kilometres and therefore capable of hitting Israel -- and continue efforts to produce WMD.

"There is no doubt that combined together, developing production of more powerful missiles and WMD poses  a serious threat against the survival of Israel and we must do our best to neutralise it", the general said on Monday, adding that Tel-Aviv uses all its efforts to have the United States and the international community preventing Iran from acquiring the weapons, including nuclear bomb.

The Islamic Republic cut all relations with Israel after the victory of the Islamic revolution of 1979 and calls for the destruction of the Jewish State, it describes as a "cancerous tumour" planted in the heart of Muslim Middle East.

In the half an hour program that was monitored by Iran Press Service in Paris, General Mofaz said Israel is determined to make Hezbollah paying a "very high price" for the attacks it launches against Israel northern localities.

While dashing all "political questions", General Mofaz, who's term ends next months and is expected to leave the army, denounced the Palestinian Authority's Chairman Yaser Arafat as a "master terrorist" who holds "in one hand the flags of negotiations and on the other that of killing, suicide operations and murder".

He said unit Arafat is leading the Palestinians, there would be no hope for peace and reconciliation and suggested that Israel must look for ways to get rid of him and turn to new leaders.

He accused Palestinian hard-liners, led by Arafat, as main obstacle for reaching peace and added that as a result of recent Israel incursions in Palestinian controlled cities and villages, more than 40 plans for suicide operations inside Israel were discovered and neutralised.

"In my opinion as a military, Arafat must be expelled from the (Palestinian) territories as to allow a new leadership and administration to grow, one that Israel could talk peace", the hard-line general suggested, adding that the expulsion of Abu Ammar would be "immediately" filled with new Palestinian personalities, whom he did not named.

The idea of expelling Arafat is backed by Israel's right wing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, but opposed by Washington.

Asked it an American attack on Iraq with the aim of toppling Saddam Husein would not result in the coming to power of Iraqi militant Shi'a groups who are close to the Iranian clerical leadership, General Mofaz ruled out the danger, "providing the United States carries out the anti-Saddam operations "wisely".

To another question concerning the future of the Golan Heights which Israel has annexed, the Israeli top general said he has no doubt that in any peace negotiations with Syria, Israeli leaders, "whoever they might be", would have in consideration the strategic importance of the region has for the security of the nation. ENDS MOFAZ INTERVIEW 4602