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Israel fumes at Iran deal
Israeli reactions to an initial U.S.-Iran peace agreement sparked anger across the political spectrum on Monday, with critics directing their fury at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“directing their fury at one man: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu”
Netanyahu said at a news conference Monday that “with an agreement, without an agreement,” he would continue fighting to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and he emphasized that the deal was struck by the United States, not Israel.
The AP reported that other Israeli government officials, rivals, politicians and commentators quickly criticized the preliminary deal, framing it as a referendum on Netanyahu ahead of elections this fall.
In a separate account, the BBC described the U.S. ceasefire agreement with Iran as presenting Netanyahu with a “political nightmare,” smashing “the three cornerstones of Benjamin Netanyahu's political career.”
Netanyahu’s stance and rivals
Netanyahu said he would not budge on Iran’s request that Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon be part of the pact, and he told reporters, “Iran wanted us to withdraw from there, but that did not happen.”
The AP quoted former Prime Minister Ehud Barak saying, “Iran emerged stronger; Israel emerged weaker. That is Netanyahu’s strategic responsibility. He failed.”
CNN reported that Netanyahu had yet to comment publicly on the deal, and an Israeli official briefed on the matter told NBC News that Netanyahu was seeking a meeting with President Donald Trump to discuss it.
In the BBC’s account of internal pressure, Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote on social media on Monday that “Trump's agreement does not bind us,” while Likud lawmaker Ariel Kallner said, “We will do what we need to do.”
What’s at stake next
The Guardian reported that with a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran signed, Donald Trump said the strait of Hormuz “will be completely open” by Friday, while a signing ceremony was scheduled for Friday in Geneva.
“the Strait of Hormuz “will be completely open” by Friday”
In the same Guardian report, Netanyahu said in his first address following the deal signing that Israeli forces will remain in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria “for as long as necessary,” and he said he would be running for relection in elections scheduled for later this year.
NBC News warned that renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah could scupper the U.S.-Iran deal, describing how Israel’s military said Sunday evening it was preparing for an incoming salvo of Iranian missiles before the announcement of a more permanent ceasefire deal in Geneva.
Al Jazeera featured Israeli journalist Gideon Levy arguing that the U.S.-Iran announcement represented “the defeat of Israel and Netanyahu's personal defeat,” and it said Levy warned that Israel could only resort to sabotage while remaining present in Lebanon.