Iran’s push for diplomacy that is gaining worldwide attraction has been disconcerting to Israeli officials, to say the least, and has led to angry condemnations, hawkish speeches, and now comments from Likud MP Tzachi Hanegbi saying his government is no longer convinced the US is serious about its threats to attack Iran.

Threatening to attack Iran has been such a popular pastime for Israeli authorities during years that they created an entire ministry called the Strategic Affairs Ministry whose sole purpose is to spend all day planning “initiatives” aimed at an eventual war with Iran.

This has Israel’s hawkish officials talking up the prospect of a unilateral attack, and according to reports, they hold “intensive meetings” with top officials from a number of the Persian Gulf states, in an attempt to cobble together an alliance to attack Iran without the US.

Though the reports didn’t specify which nations’ officials were met with, the smart money is on the members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain.

In the past, there have been on-again, off-again rumors of Saudi Arabia being willing to grant Israel an airspace corridor through which to attack Iran, though the Saudi government has always denied that this would be the real case.

However, Iran has strongly condemned the rhetoric and threats by Israeli officials and called on the international community to respond to the warmongering policy.

Iran and the Persian Gulf neighbors have always emphasized the need for expansion of cooperation and enhancing brotherly relations.

NTJ/SHI