NON-RHETORICAL:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to strike at Iran's nuclear facilities in 2010 and 2011, but was prevented from doing so, first by his army chief of staff and then by ministerial colleagues, Netanyahu's former defense minister Ehud Barak said.

Barak, who supported Netanyahu's desire to hit Iran, was speaking in recordings broadcast on Israel's Channel 2 on Friday night. The material apparently comes from conversations related to a new biography of Barak being written by Danny Dor and Ilan Kfir. The former defense minister, who was also previously prime minister and chief of staff, attempted to prevent the broadcasting of the recordings, but Israel's military censors allowed Channel 2 to play them.

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