以色列內閣研議如何迴應伊朗威脅

Growing tensions between Israel and Iran topped the agenda at the weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

以色列和伊朗的緊張關係升級，佔據了以色列每週內閣會議的討論議程。

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opened the Cabinet meeting by referring to a statement last week by Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who described Israel as “a cancerous tumor that must be cut off.”

以色列總理內塔尼亞胡以伊朗最高領導人哈梅內伊上星期發佈的聲明揭開了內閣會議。哈梅內伊形容以色列爲“必須去除的癌腫瘤”。

Netanyahu said the only way to ensure Israel’s survival in a region where Iran’s ruler talks “about destroying Israel,” is to continue to develop the nation’s military might.

內塔尼亞胡說，在一個伊朗領導人說要毀滅以色列的地區內，以色列確保自己生存之道就是繼續發展軍事力量。

A strong army “is the only guarantee of peace,” he said, “and Israel's only defense if peace unravels.”

內塔尼亞胡說，一個強有力的軍隊是“和平的唯一保證”，也是“在和平遭到破壞時以色列的唯一防衛”。

Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but Israel and the West believe Tehran is building nuclear weapons that could threaten the existence of the Jewish state. Israeli officials are warning publicly that Iran is close to “the point of no return”- the point where military action to stop Iran from acquiring the atom bomb would be too late.

伊朗說，它的核項目是和平用途，但以色列和西方相信德黑蘭在建造核武，可能威脅以色列這個猶太國家的存在。以色列官員公開警告，伊朗已接近“無法回頭的時刻”，也就是用軍事行動阻止伊朗獲取原子彈也來不及的時刻。

Israel has said time and again that if international sanctions against Iran fail, it is prepared to take military action on its own. This has raised growing alarm in the West.

以色列多次說，如果國際社會對伊朗的制裁失敗，它準備自行採取軍事行動。這引起西方國家的擔憂。

Last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was quoted by The Washington Post as saying that he believes Israel might attack Iran this year, possibly as early as April.

上星期，《華盛頓郵報》引述美國國防部長帕內塔的話說，他相信以色列可能在今年攻擊伊朗，最快可能在4月。

Jerusalem Post defense analyst Yaakov Katz says time for a diplomatic solution is running out.

《耶路撒冷郵報》的國防分析人士卡茲說，採取外交途徑的時機已過。

“The window is definitely closing,” he said.

卡茲說：“那扇窗絕對是關上了。”

Katz says Israel has the firepower to back up the threat.

卡茲說，以色列有軍力支持他們提出的威脅。

“Israel has created over the years a viable military option, that is in place potentially, if it decides to take unilateral military action to stop Iran’s nuclear program,”

卡茲說：“以色列多年來一直在建立可行的軍事選項。如果他們決定採取單方面軍事行動阻止伊朗的核項目，這個軍事選項可能已經成形了。”

Many analysts question how effective an Israeli attack would be, considering that Iran is 1,200 kilometers from Israel and its nuclear facilities are spread out and fortified deep underground. But last week, Israel’s Deputy Premier Moshe Ya’alon, a former army chief, said that all of Iran’s nuclear sites are “vulnerable” to military strikes.

考慮到伊朗距離以色列1200公里，而且伊朗核設施不僅分散，也藏在地底深處受到保護，使得許多分析人士質疑以色列的攻擊成效。但上星期，以色列前陸軍參謀長、也是現任的副總理梅里多爾說，伊朗的核地點承受不了軍事攻擊。