Quotes of the Day

What changes do you think a war will bring in the Middle East? It's a clear message to Iraq, Iran and Libya, and other states that don't have peace treaties with us, that nonconventional capabilities and support for terror are things the U.S. won't allow. These states embody an Unholy Trinity: extreme regimes, nonconventional capabilities that they are trying to extend to nuclear weapons, and support for terror. There is a dimension you can't avoid on the Palestinian front, too. [Palestinian leader Yasser] Arafat is a terrorist. The Palestinians must choose a different leadership that won't make compromises with terror.

If there is an Iraqi Scud attack on Israel, will you retaliate or refrain, as Israel did in the 1991 Gulf War? The reality of 1991 won't repeat itself. The chances that we'll be attacked are low. But if we're attacked, Israel is obliged to defend itself and its civilians. This time it must be clear to everyone who might endanger us, especially the Iraqis, that Israel reserves the right to retaliate.

What if the attack is with nonconventional weapons? We are a sovereign state, but we are also a responsible state. We won't retaliate automatically. It will be only after an assessment. The ties we have with the Americans are so strong that we won't carry out automatic actions.

how likely is it that Scuds might actually land in Israel? The threat from western Iraq is low. But this threat exists. We assume that American activity in western Iraq is going to be much more massive and more intensive than in 1991. It's going to minimize the possibility of Iraq launching any missiles. The chance is low, but our readiness is high.

How long do you think a war will last? The surprising thing in this war is going to be the power of the American action in the first stages of the battle. I assess that the war's going to take weeks, but the overall stay for the Americans is going to be quite long. Maybe it's going to be a year or two, or even more, to be sure that in Iraq there's no chaos.

Some American commentators say that this war is being fought for Israel and is being promoted by a pro-Israel lobby in Washington. The Americans aren't going off to battle for Israel. It's not an Israeli interest that's pushing the Americans to fight Iraq. The American government saw the worldwide danger that's at stake.

Do you have intelligence to suggest that there might be a big terror attack in Israel or the West during a war? The likelihood of international terror, especially against Israeli, American and Jewish targets around the world during the battle in Iraq, might be higher. This is because al-Qaeda and others want to prove that, although there is a battle against Iraq and against terror, they can still carry out terrorist attacks.

how do you rate the performance of chief U.N. arms inspector Hans Blix and the usefulness of his reports? The effectiveness of [U.N.] supervision didn't meet expectations. That's either because of ineffective supervision or because of Iraqi obstruction. But one thing is clear: Since the inspection mandate was given to Hans Blix, the effectiveness of the supervision is not up to the level of expectation of the Americans and the rest of the world.

after a war, will Bush pressure Israel to get a peace process moving with the Palestinians? I wouldn't call it American pressure. The fact that [as a result of U.S. and European Union demands, Mahmoud Abbas is to be named] Prime Minister in the shadow of this battle in Iraq shows that the war has already influenced the Palestinians in a positive way.

Are you going to expel Yasser Arafat from the West Bank and Gaza? The step of naming a Palestinian Prime Minister will in the long run push aside Arafat and bring a new leadership. It's clear to everyone in the world that Arafat follows a road of terror and violence, and this road failed. But the question must be considered soberly. Right now, if this prime ministerial process accumulates momentum, you have to let it develop naturally.

• Israel will fend off attack by Iraq says defense minister