Barak: Israel not looking for war with Iran, but will act if pushed

Dec 1, 2011, 8:31 GMT

Tel Aviv - Israel is not looking for a war with Iran, but will act if left with no choice and 'pushed into a corner,' Defence Minister Ehud Barak said Thursday.

'Wars aren't picnics and we are not looking for a war,' he told Israel Radio.

An attack against Iran's nuclear facilities would be a measure of last resort, he said.

Barak rejected forecasts that a military confrontation with Tehran would likely mean large numbers of casualties in Israel.

Iran is expected to retaliate against any airstrikes targeting its nuclear site by launching missiles at Israel.

If forced to act, 'we are not talking about 50,000, and not 5,000 and also not 500 (casualties) on the Home Front, if all people stay indoors,' he said.

'Israel is very far from being paralyzed by fears or threats and it must act with a cool temper, quietly, and it can be that from time to time we will be put to the test.'

Responding to fears that Israel would not notify the US ahead of an attack on Iran, he said Israel listened to and highly appreciated Washington, but was a sovereign country, whose government and security forces were the only ones responsible for the Jewish state's 'security, future and existence.'

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