The founder of the whistleblower WikiLeaks website, Julian Assange, defended the publication of hundreds of classified documents Wednesday in an interview with Time Magazine.
Speaking through Skype from an undisclosed location in Britain, Assange said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "believes that the result of this publication, which makes the sentiments of many privately held beliefs public… will lead to some kind of increase in the peace process in the Middle East and particularly in relation to Iran".
Assange also complimented Netanyahu by saying he is "not a naïve man" and "a sophisticated politician".
Private cables exposed by WikiLeaks revealed earlier this week that Arab leaders had urged the US to end Iran’s nuclear program by force if necessary.
The first of the world’s leaders to address this cable was Netanyahu, who said Monday that "if the leaders make these statements publically there will be a significant change".
"When leaders are willing to tell their people the truth it promotes peace." The prime minister said, adding that "peace based on truth has a lasting chance."