15 programme Israel should help itself and the international community. The most potent way would be by improving relations with the Islamic world, especially the PLO and Turkey. Israel had good relations with them before. It can do so again. Fortunately for Israel, and unfortunately for Khamenei, Israel even has the option to hurt the regime on its very own streets. That option is the cessation of verbal military threats against Iran. Cessation of military threats from Israel will make it much harder for the regime to divert the public's attention away from its falling popularity and serious domestic problems. Silence from Israel will make Iran's leaders more worried, as it will rob Khamenei from an important tool which has helped him, and at a crucial time when the regime is hemorrhaging legitimacy and popularity at an unprecedented rate. The damage such an endeavour will cause is worth the inconvenience of Israeli politicians having to bite their tongues. Cessation of verbal threats will also prevent significant future damage being caused to Israel's deterrence posture if, at the end of the day, it decides to not to attack Iran's nuclear installations. Coelho once said: "Be careful. You can hurt with your words, but you can also hurt with your silence." The words of a wise man. Meir Javedanfar is an Iranian-Israeli Middle East analyst and co- author of The Nuclear Sphinx of Tehran: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the State of Iran. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_032185