Israel Watches as World Rejects Iran Sanctions

This is a very important article for one simple reason: Israel has made it very clear that if meaningful sanctions are not implemented against Iran, they will be forced to take military action against Iran. It is becoming more apparent by the day - that meaningful sanctions will not take place.

Israel watches as world rejects Iran sanctions

Israel watched the developments at the IAEA in Vienna on Thursday very closely, yet was unable to convince the world to implement crippling sanctions on Iran that would convince it to jettison its military nuclear program.

On Thursday, a resolution was agreed upon in Vienna by the five permanent members of the Security Council, plus Germany, to slam Iran for its defiance, but stopped short of sending the matter back to the UN Security Council for another round of sanctions. The resolution is expected to be passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency board of governors meeting on Friday.

So, in other words, a "tongue-lashing" is about all Iran will get. This issue isn't even going back to the UNSC for more sanctions - a decision that doesn't bode well for those who want to see peace in the region.

Barak said that Israel should not adopt a policy of “whining and fear and saying that they are going to do all kinds of things to me, but rather Israel must make clear that it understands the situation very well, and that what is being discussed is a challenge to the whole world because it threatens the whole world.”

Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya’alon picked up on the universality of the threat during a speech Thursday at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, saying Tehran’s fingerprints can be seen in every area of conflict in the region.

“The significance of an Iran with nuclear weapons capability is that it could create nuclear chaos in the Middle East, and lead to the use of the nuclear umbrella to encourage terrorism and irredentism, and the transfer of a dirty bomb to Manhattan and Europe,” he said.

Barak, meanwhile, warned in a US television interview on Wednesday that if Iran succeeded in developing a nuclear weapon, a Middle East arms race would ensue, with Saudi Arabia and Egypt eventually seeking nuclear weapons as well.

At some point the ball will be in Israel's court. The hope for any kind of significant sanctions has grown dim. It must be apparent to Israel that no such sanctions will be put in place.

The question now becomes - what will Israel do?

Was the military threat real or was it simply intended to prod the UNSC into implementing sanctions?

This answer to these questions should come soon - once winter arrives it will be very difficult for Israel to attack Iran - and if no action is taken by Israel before that, then Iran could have serviceable nuclear weapons by spring.

The clock is ticking.