Israeli ambassador to U.S. on pressing Iranian nuclear threat, Arab uprisings and the ‘Palestine Papers’

In a wide-ranging interview for a profile to be published by The Daily Caller next week, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren told TheDC that despite reports that Iran’s nuclear program has experienced serious setbacks, the Islamic Republic remains a pressing threat.

When asked whether the comment reportedly made this month by lionized outgoing Mossad chief Meir Dagan that the “soonest Iran will have a nuclear device is 2015, if that,” means Iran is no longer the immediate threat it was once thought to be, Oren said Dagan’s view is just one assessment of the situation.

“I have great regard for Meir Dagan,” Oren told TheDC in an interview conducted at the Israeli Embassy in Northwest Washington. “His assessment is one assessment of one person. It’s not an assessment that reflects all of Israel’s intelligence community or Israel’s military community or Israel’s political echelon.”

“There are other opinions out there,” Oren continued, “and the other opinions are that we do not have a lot of time here.”

Asked whether the ongoing pro-democracy, anti-government demonstrations in capitals across the Arab world were welcomed by Israel, Oren responded cautiously, saying while Israel “welcomes democratization,” it is concerned about the stability of neighboring states crucial to its security.

“Well, I think Israel welcomes democratization of the Middle East. I think we see democratization as a factor for stability,” he said. “Looking forward to any future Palestinian state, we want that Palestinian state to be democratic. At the same time we have concerns about the stability of some neighboring states whose stability is very important for us and important for the peace process.”

Oren explained that the Israeli government is particularly worried that the popular uprisings will be hijacked by Islamists.

“We are concerned lest the uprising in Tunisia goes the way of the uprising in Iran in 1979 — what began as a sort of secular, very diffuse, popular movement was rather quickly hijacked by Islamic extremists because they are the most organized and best-funded of these groups. And there very focused. They know exactly what they want. And it’s always a danger in the Middle East that these movements can be hijacked,” he said.