Israel Growing Resigned to Iran Deal, But Will Still Oppose It

Israeli officials are very public in their opposition to diplomacy between the international community and Iran, but seem increasingly resigned to the idea that their shrill predictions of doom may not be enough to destroy the talks outright. Instead, they’re planning for the “day after,” and what to do if and when the P5+1 and Iran reach an interim deal, something which may well come this week.

“We will be more frustrated than before, because we were more optimistic that we would be able to convince some of the countries that this is the wrong path,” conceded MP Tzachi Hanegbi, who insisted that the campaign against diplomacy will continue even after the deal is signed and that Israel will not simply “sit on its hands” if the pact is signed.

The interim deal is designed to cover six months, during which time the P5+1 and Iran will hammer out a final pact. Expect Israel to be there every single deal, reminding everyone how against diplomacy they are, and spinning even minor bumps in the road as vindication.

That and threatening war. While Israeli leaders used to like to throw threats to attack Iran out as the triumphant close to speeches (which usually had nothing to do with Iran to start with) they are now threatening to start war not because of anything Iran is doing, but as some sort of angry retaliation for the US and others signing a deal. Though many analysts see such an attack as unlikely within the six month “interim” stage, they also say that “day 181,” when the interim pact expires, might be Israel’s last chance to start a war their leadership maintains it desperately wants.