Netanyahu claims sanctions not working; 65% of Israelis believe attack against Iran is preferable to a nuclear Iran

Is a war between Israel and Iran is likely? Notice the following two news items:

April 4, 2012

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as is his habit, sought to pour cold water over the notion that US-led international sanctions on Iran are having an effect on its controversial nuclear program…Mr. Netanyahu told reporters yesterday that he sees no evidence of any impact on Iran’s calculations about its controversial nuclear program. Israel insists Tehran is seeking a nuclear weapon, but Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes only…”The sanctions are painful, hard .. but will this bring about a halt or a retreat in the Iranian nuclear program? Until now, it has not happened,” he said. The Iranian government “is struggling financially and it still hasn’t turned back by even one millimeter from its nuclear program,” he told reporters in Israel. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Backchannels/2012/0404/Netanyahu-says-Iran-sanctions-aren-t-working.-His-UN-ambassador-disagrees

The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) released a poll last week showing that a clear majority of Israelis (65 percent) believe a strike against the Iranian nuclear facilities would be preferable to accepting an Islamic Republic which has a military nuclear capability. Sixty percent said that only an attack could stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions, while 37 percent believed that there are other ways of averting an Iranian bomb.

A similar majority – 64 percent – are confident that the IDF can significantly damage the Iranian nuclear installations, while 63 percent assume that retaliation against Israel’s civilian front will take place regardless of who carried out the attack – Israel or the U.S. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/do-israelis-support-a-war-on-iran-1.421976

The Israelis seem to be more focused on a “best case” scenario, for a type a minimalistic series of strikes, and that may happen. It may be that attacks by Israel, combined with international sanctions and other pressures, will result in Iranians rising up and changing/overthrowing the regime.

Iran is not the prophesied King of the South (Daniel 11:40) so something must change to reduce its Islamic militaristic influence.

Of course, the religious leaders of Iran do not want a regime change that would eliminate their version of an Islamic empire. They may decide that they have no choice but to fight back hard believing that doing so represents their real opportunity to fulfill their view of Iran’s Islamic destiny. Earlier this year, Iran’s “supreme leader” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated “In light of the realization of the divine promise by almighty God, the Zionists and the Great Satan (America) will soon be defeated” (for more details see Ayatollah Khamenei Claims America “Will Soon be Defeated”). That would suggest that he might want Iran to fight back hard.

Last year, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed that it was the Imam Mahdi (a hoped for Islamic leader) who was behind the revolutions in the various Arab lands as well as other events in the world (see Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: World Order About to Collapse, Mahdi Behind it). He and other Iranians leaders were also shown in a video last year that indicated that Iran intended to relatively soon invade and takeover Jerusalem so that the Imam Mahdi would rise up. The video hinted that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was somehow prophesied within Islam as a particular leader that would help do that (see Iran’s Ahmadinejad to Conquer Jerusalem?). Since the presidential term for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ends in 2013, if he does what he indicates he has wanted to do, a real war will happen relatively soon. And if Iran feels that Israel is getting closer to attack it, Iran likely is developing plans to hit back at Israel in ways that Israeli citizens may not expect. It is unrealistic to think that Iran is not taking steps based upon the public statements of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, the US government, and the opinions of Israelis. The longer an attack is delayed, the more time that Iran (and possibly Syria) can prepare for a response.

It would seem that such a regional war in the Middle East would possibly get out of control, especially presuming Syria is involved. If so, not only Iran and Syria, but Israel and possibly the USA could incur much greater damage than the better case scenarios that the Israelis would tend to hope for. There are chemical and biological weapons that could affect Israel and the USA, as well emp type bombs, “dirty” bombs, and other nuclear-type bombs that Israel and/or the USA may have underestimated. Terrorist and other attacks are also possible.

65% of Israelis seem possibly more optimistic than I am. If we are near the time that Damascus is prophesied to be destroyed and for a time ceasing being a city (Isaiah 17:1), major problems may soon be upon that area (more than the current uprisings in Syria have been so far). At this time, it would seem that the destruction of Damascus could happen if opponents to the Syrian Assad regime felt that they had been harmed so much that eliminating Damascus would be necessary. Since Israel and the USA tend to be sensitive to international opinion, such prophesied destruction of Damascus suggests that somehow Syria will first inflict significant harm to one or more of its enemies. If this is involving outsiders like Israel, it seems that the Bible suggests major complications could occur if Israel does attack Iran and/or Syria and that Iran and Syria strike back.

We will see.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2012 or 2013? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What is the “beginning of sorrows”? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Is the deal in Daniel 9:27 a peace deal?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?