Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday warned that Israel will do “everything” to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran whether or not the US returns to the nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA.
The latest threat from Netanyahu comes as the US and Iran are set to start their fifth round of indirect negotiations in Vienna to revive the JCPOA. Iranian officials have reported good progress, but the US has downplayed the idea that an agreement will be reached soon.
“With or without an agreement, we will do everything to prevent Iran from arming itself with a nuclear weapon, because that is our existence,” Netanyahu said at an award ceremony for agents of Israel’s Mossad spy agency.
Israeli officials claim the JCPOA is a path to a nuclear-armed Iran because it has an expiration date. But that ignores that after the JCPOA, Iran would still be bound by the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which Israel refuses to sign due to its secret nuclear weapons program.
Since the Vienna talks started, Israel has taken covert action against Iran to sabotage the negotiations. In April, Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility was targeted in an apparent Israeli attack that led to the Iranians increasing some uranium enrichment to 60 percent.
Israeli covert action almost always leads to Iran increasing the activity of its civilian nuclear program, which Israel uses as evidence that Tehran is racing to develop a bomb. If Israel were really concerned with Iran’s nuclear activity, it would favor a revival of the JCPOA since the agreement has strict limitations and subjects Iran to the most stringent nuclear inspections in the world.
Netanyahu’s comments come as Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to the region to discuss the latest violence in Gaza. Israel’s 11-day bombing campaign in Gaza killed 248 Palestinians, including 66 children.
What is Israel doing to thwart the seemingly inevitable finding that they are guilty of war crimes and are in fact a theoricacy, not an democracy? Did I mention apartheid…????? Seems the ICC is apt to add it to the indictment. But these policies seem to be built in.. One would think they would clean up their act at least temporarily till the trouble blows over. But no, their imagined immunity is a permanent fixture, like the rock of Gibraltar.
Get ready for some elaborate “false-flag” incidents.
The US will then react reflexively.
I was thinking the same dam thing foodoo.
Winken, Blinken and Nod will be eaten alive by Netanyahoo.
Paper Tiger Nut&Yaboo…!
IF we had a President with balls, that President would tell Bibi to f-ck off.
An agreement that limits Iran to uranium incapable of making a nuclear weapon is somehow a threat to psycho Netanyahu.
He is doing what he is conditioned to do by habits developed over many decades. As things are changing — he is droning on and on in denial.
First, he must appear “strong” after Gaza debacle. Because even in Israel, there are doubts about the latest Gaza destruction.
He did not stop this gratuitous violence because he wanted to, or because he believes in mediation. Especially by Egypt, an Arab state once defeated in war. He stopped because he had to. Biden and the entire Israel supporting infrastructure in US saw handwriting on the wall — the whole world is condemning Israel and blames US for supporting it. And without US, Israel is not a viable state.
Biden and key supporters told him to stop. Besides condemnations — something US is used to, what materially changed.
Egypt entered Gaza, reopened Rafa border crossing to supply Gaza with emergency provisions. food, medicine, temporary shelters. More importantly Egypt brought in ambulances to evacuate critically injured.
I doubt very much this was done with US approval, even less Israeli. The point of EVERY Israel’s action against Palestinians is the utter impotence of any country to ACT. This is what power is — not allowing anyone to even think of interfering.
So, what happened. Egypt shares border with Gaza, and is logistically in best position.
But did not Biden raise the banner of “human rights”, and looked down his nose on Egypt’s Al-Sisi? So, why sudden change of heart and declare him the mediator, and thus “promoting” Egypt to the status of “mediator” in Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
Of course, it does not add up, Egypt entered — and fast decision had to be made. To allow Israel to target Egypt’s ambulances, goods transport at border crossing? That would have looked bad — and cause break in relationship with Israel.
Israel cannot afford it — it relies in Egypt for its gas ambitions, a pipeline from its Leviathan field to Greece and to Europe, the pipeline US is defending at great costs — by doing everything to prevent gas pipeline to Germany from Russia, the Nord Stream. Egypt is part of gas consortium.
But mire than that — Egypt is a key player un Libya, having supported the government in Tobruk and helped General Hafter to defeat militants of Benghazi. More importantly, it cut deals with all the southern Libyan clans, to support Tobruk — not US imported, UN approved Government in Tripoli. Being on the verge of success, Trump made amateurish mistake — switched support to Hefter, and abandoned support to Tripoli. It was clear as a sunny day, that Turkey would step in and defend now abandoned Tripoli. Clear — as Russia and Turkey brought both parties to Berlin conference. Where pompous EU and US attached dozens of conditions, insuring their primacy in Libya. We know what happened. Egypt and Turkey with Russia’s support, brought both sides into permanent ceasefire and a transitional government to organize elections. Nobody in transitional government can run. And Turkey got agreement with Tripoli government in the Mediterranean Sea shelf, basically making it impossible for Israel to build pipeline.
Now that Turkey is very deliberately being loud in its condemnation of Israel — for the sake of any future influence in Libya, and any hope of pipeline — US must swallow human rights lecturing and “promote” Egypt into the role of US approved mediator.
What choices are there? Egypt entered Gaza with ambulances and aid,
Decision point — attack or embrace?
US embraced with a hope of getting some influence over Egypt.
It is a tough road ahead. At this time when Egypt has shaken of food dependency on US and Canada (cost Morsi his Presidency when bread was not available in Cairo), by importing grains from Russia, leverage is not there, Also, after purchasing over one hundred fifth generation fighter planes from Russia , the leverage is smaller.
Bibi’s noise against Iran is just his primitive revenge — he will show to US that the petulant child can cause havoc. Being forced to receive Egyptian delegation, after having to abruptly stop the fun in Gaza!
This behavior is to be expected.
At present, as all formerly conflicted parties are talking to each other Qatar with Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia to Iran and Turkey. Turkey with Egypt — war with Iran is not on the table. US is trying to hammer out a deal just to get this off the table. Iran has economically sailed to Eastern, Northern and Southern parts of globe, and is not looking back. It wants to restore relations with Gulf, Levant and Egypt.
All of this is rational, as Iran gets Chinese investments and Russian military support.
Netanyahu is in trouble, as it faces unclear political future and trial. But at the same time, Israel’s US support infrastructure is, I suspect in dilemma, Netanyahu for all his weaknesses is unifying Israel, and no other political option today seems to have this ability to seize the power and capture popular imagination. And without political cohesion internally, it will be hard to navigate more challenging environment externally.
Netanyahu is perhaps last of the breed, Used to project power in the region without challenge, and counting on US support.
Biden’s unwavering support is getting thinner.
Entry of Egypt into Gaza picture is the first step towards a more internationalized approach to Israeli Palestinian conflict. Nothing earth shattering will happen — just a steady stream of small changes. Which, like Libya will not look unmanageable — until the space for maneuver is reduced.
With Netanyahu, US is embarrassed. Without him, Israel’s fractured politics and cashes of interests, may be worse.
Netanyahu says the existence of Israel is on the line and he will do anything and everything to stop Iran from arming itself. Why not try a peaceful merciful and cooperative existence.? We are all creatures of God and that makes us brothers, some how Netanyahu chooses not to see it that way, and he seems to have no problem deciding who lives and who dies, or in other words, playing God.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-05-22-revealed-third-of-british-cabinet-including-boris-johnson-has-been-funded-by-israel-or-pro-israel-lobby-groups/
With the UK and US governments under Tel Aviv’s influence, any deal Iran agrees to will be unsatisfactory to Israel.
The Zionist influence with legislators across Europe’s capitals likely speaks of a corrosive influence concerning relations with Africa and the Middle east
Show us yours and we’ll show you ours. Abide by non-nuke treaties and we will. Is this not fair?
There is a rogue, racist, expansionist, nuclear-armed state in the mideast: Israel. Why does the US not sanction and blockade it?
Because we love them sooo much.
Let’s say this again: The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, issued a fatwa against weapons of mass destruction sometime in the mid-1990s. In addition, he later said: “We believe that besides nuclear weapons, other types of weapons of mass destruction such as chemical and biological weapons also pose a serious threat to humanity. The Iranian nation which is itself a victim of chemical weapons feels more than any other nation the danger that is caused by the production and stockpiling of such weapons and is prepared to make use of all its facilities to counter such threats. We consider the use of such weapons as haraam and believe that it is everyone’s duty to make efforts to secure humanity against this great disaster.”
Whatever one may think about Shia clerics, they usually mean what they say.
Meanwhile, the US won’t even take a first-strike option of the table.