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In Israel the debate over whether to attack Iran has seen the political
leadership of the Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak and the Prime Minister,
Benjamin Netanyahu face a resistant security echelon with the heads of
Israel’s intelligence agencies (and their predecessors) opposing such an
attack. The question of Iran was expected to be at the top of the agenda at
this year’s Herzeliya Conference, which took place last week. The
conference is Israel’s main security and strategic gathering with speakers
from the army, various ministries, major corporations, and security think
tanks. The army’s chief of staff, head of military intelligence, minister of
defense, and the former head of the Mossad spoke, with the later warning
for the leadership to be patient as the sanctions are working.