His talks come two weeks before the elections in Lebanon in which according to the Israel “Hezbollah is expected to gain more seats in the government.”
 
As for next week's nationwide drill, during which Israeli occupation forces will simulate a "battle in Gaza", spreading into a "war" in northern occupied territories, Ashkenazi said it was "routine," adding "it shouldn't cause ant tension in the region."
 
On the Egyptian front, Ashkenazi praised Cairo's anti-smuggling efforts, noting "the increase in the efficiency of Egyptian actions" which delays smuggling, but does not totally prevent it.
 
Concerning Iran, the Israeli army chief of staff said that dialogue with Iran is considered by the army as the most desirable way to prevent the Islamic Republic from attaining nuclear weapons, though there is only a small chance that the current dialogue between Washington and Teheran will actually succeed in that goal.
 
Speaking to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Ashkenazi stressed the necessity of preventing nuclear weapons from Iran which would "destabilize the entire Middle East."

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