Shaul Mofaz. Photo: Sgt. Andy Dunaway, U.S. Air Force.

During discussions last summer over how to best handle Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak concluded that force was necessary. The revelation was provided by Kadima party leader Shaul Mofaz on Friday. Mofaz took part in discussions on Iran while briefly aligned with Netanyahu’s Likud party last summer, when he served as Acting Prime Minister, Vice Prime Minister and Minister without portfolio.

“While I was a part of the  Netanyahu government for 70 days, I  was concerned about Netanyahu and Barak’s treatment of the  Iranian nuclear program issue. Their position was to use military force. Discussions were held on operational military force in Iran. My opinion was that it would bring a regional war with missiles from all sides,” Mofaz said, according to a translation.

Mofaz added that Netanyahu has no intention of resuming negotiations with the Palestinians, saying that his 2009 Bar-Ilan speech, in which he accepted a two-state solution, was designed to please U.S. President Barack Obama. The comments echo those made last week by Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely.

Mofaz also warned of the threat of a third Intifada. “We are at the dawn of the third intifada. The ignition vapors are already in the air and the situation today reminds me of the days before the first and second Intifada broke out, ” he said, according to a translation.