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Oded Eran (R) with External Relations European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner (C)
Photo: Doron Chmiel
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PARIS (EJP)--- Oded Eran, Israel’s ambassador to the European Union and the recently announced World Jewish Congress representative in Israel, spoke to EJP about the urgent need to take action against the Iranian nuclear program. Eran attended in Paris the annual meeting of the World Jewish Congress executive body.
EJP: You said at the WJC governing board this weekend that since half of the Jewish nation is under threat today in Israel the other half must take action. What are the main steps the WJC should take to face the Iranian nuclear threat?
Oded Eran: I think that for the first time since the creation of Israel 60 years ago, we are facing an unequivocal existential threat. We knew dangers in 1948, 56, 67, 73, 82, but I don’t remember a time where our existence was threatened this way. We know from the past the destructive nature of the nuclear weapons and it doesn’t matter whether you react or not afterwards because the harm can’t be reversed. That’s existential threat.
I think that at this point we have to examine every political and diplomatic possibility to stop the Iranian program. To do so, the international community has to adopt several steps. Since Iran rejected up until today every incentive and proposition made mostly by EU, the international community must start taking light sanctions to show Teheran that it will not accept its nuclear program.
The task of the WJC and other organisations is to knock on the doors of decision makers: the five permanent security council members, Javier Solana, the unofficial Foreign minister of the EU, and ask them to adopt a significant clear decision on Iran in the Security Council. The
issue has been on the agenda for months and not the slightest sanction has been voted.
EJP: Does knocking really help? Don’t these officials already know what the situation is? Is knocking on doors effective?
Oded Eran: I think it is. The Jewish nation has, in an issue as profoundly existential as this, a moral stand that comes from the very bitter experience of the preceding century in which half of the people was destroyed. That’s why I think we will be heard today because no power wishes to bear in its conscience the possibility of a second such tragedy less than a century after the first. That’s why the Jewish people can have its say. It has a political influence in some places and a financial influence as well.
That’s why we have to concentrate our efforts and knock on the doors of the principal decision makers on this issue and ask them to take a unequivocal steps before we lose the chance to solve the problem in a peaceful way.
Had we known in 1933 when Hitler came to power that the Shoah would follow would we have not done every possible effort, every hunger strike and demonstration or knocked on every door? I think we cannot have on our conscience a fraction of a doubt on the fact that we did all that we could have done to stop the nuclear program.
EJP: Can an association with Arab countries help prevent Iran from developing its program?
Oded Eran: At this point the political and diplomatic means must be followed through. The Middle East counts several elements aside from Israel which are very troubled by Iran’s aggressiveness not only on the nuclear front but also its encouragement of fundamentalist groups. This worries Arab regimes and the International community can collaborate with them to balance that pressure.
If Iran does not get the message from the international, if it ignores the calls and does not react to light sanctions, there will be a need to move forward to the next level.
Benita Ferrero Waldner (EU commisioner for external relations) talked about a spectrum of measures from painless light steps to rougher ones. I trust that levelling policy. I think that’s the path to be taken by the International community. So Iran understands there is a price for its actions and for ignoring the International community.
EJP: Has the EU taken a central and determining role now in the Middle East, compared to its position a few years ago?
Oded Eran: I think the EU is at a great central place that it hasn’t occupied for a long time now. It can use its political and financial influence on the situation in the Middle-East, Iran included. For various reasons the US has a heavy agenda especially in Afghanistan and Iraq so it accepted that EU countries France, BG, Germany and Solana play a lead role in the Iran issue. EU presence is also important in the Israel – Palestinian issue. The EU can also play a key role in solving PA’s financial crisis. We hope it will accomplish that mission which it already started and we must give Europe credit for that.
For all these reasons I think that the EU has a central place and it must lead several issues in the Middle-East, specially regarding the nuclear threat.
EJP: French presidential candidate Ségolène Royal declared last week that Iran shouldn’t be authorised to develop a civilian nuclear program because of its leaders’ actions and threats. What do you make of this position?
Oded Eran: I think there is room for fear and reasons for doubt since Iran concealed for years its nuclear program. Why hide the nuclear program if it aims only peaceful means?
On top of that there is enough scientific proof that shows Iran is doing more than what is necessary for a civilian nuclear program.
So there is something in Royal’s declaration regarding the threat but I doubt we can go as far as prohibit Iran from developing its civilian nuclear power. Let’s start by getting Iran to accept an exclusively civilian nuclear program for peaceful means and taking the rich basket proposals offered to it by the international community. Its refusal is suspect.
EJP: David Kimche said that one of Israel’s current options, now that the Israeli Palestinian relation seems quite difficult, is to intensify its efforts to establish relations with Arab countries it doesn’t have any official links with today. What do you make of that?
Oded Eran: My own personal opinion, not the Israeli position, is that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is at the heart of the Israeli-Arab conflict. We can solve every Israeli Arab issue as we did with Egypt, Jordan and as we may eventually do with Syria but there will still remain the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That’s why I think we should focus and concentrate most of our efforts on solving our conflict with the Palestinian Authority.
However, I think there is no chance for discussions on a permanent solution until the arrival of a Palestinian government which accepts at least the road map.
There will be and there must be discussion over daily problems and the PA financial crisis. Some of the pressure must be lifted from the PA. In exchange, the Palestinians must release Gilad Shalit and stop firing rockets on Israel and launching terror attacks.
We can solve these issues even without long term peace dialogue. This must be the Israeli aim at this point and Israel should focus its efforts on it.
EJP: Is Israeli society crossing a period of crisis after the war with Hezbollah? Is there a major gap between the people and its leaders?
Oded Eran: There is no doubt we have been through rough times. The north was under attack, there were damages, people were traumatised, our two kidnapped soldiers are still held hostage. There are obviously question marks and special committees are now examining these events.
But I must stress that as inquiries are being led the Israeli economy is vigorous. The Israeli stock-market broke every record last week. So people are questioning some of the officials’ attitudes but our economy is strong. I think this proves the good health of Israeli society and its maturity.
I hope these inquiries and root treatment will heal the public’s feeling that something has broken down during the war.
EJP: On Sunday it was announced that you will be the new World Jewish Congress representative in Israel. What will this new mission consist of and when will it begin?
Oded Eran: I hope to begin on 1 January 2007. I announced my departure from the ambassadorial mission several months ago. There is a great deal of work to be done and although I will probably not invent anything. I hope to help make improvements and supply new efforts.
EJP: Why are some delegates opposed to this nomination?
Oded Eran: I’m the last person who should talk about this since I haven’t been appointed yet but it is due to the fact that I will be working in Israel and that the Israeli team feels it is an autonomous body they don’t want to be dictated any changes from the centre of the WJC which is in New York. I hope this matter will be solved when I am appointed.