Israel Says Iran Deal 'Historic Mistake' that Gave it 'Greatest Diplomatic Victory'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday slammed a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers as a "historic mistake,” his spokesman said.
"PM Netanyahu: What was achieved yesterday in Geneva is not a historic agreement but rather a historic mistake," Ofir Gendelman posted on his official Twitter account, quoting Netanyahu's comments to a weekly cabinet meeting.
Earlier, Netanyahu's office said the deal was "bad" as Tehran had obtained "what it wanted."
"This is a bad agreement that gives Iran what it wanted: the partial lifting of sanctions while maintaining an essential part of its nuclear program," said a statement published a few hours after the historic accord was signed in the Swiss city.
"The agreement allows Iran to continue to enrich uranium, leaves the centrifuges in place and allows it to produce fissile material for a nuclear weapon," it added.
"The accord did not lead to the dismantling of the Arak plant,” the heavy water reactor being built 240 kilometers (150 miles) southwest of Tehran.
"Economic pressure on Iran could have produced a much better agreement that would have led to a dismantling of Iran's nuclear capacities."
Israel's President Shimon Peres was more cautious in his response, pointing to the fact the agreement was "an interim deal" which allowed time for a diplomatic solution.
In a statement, however, he did not rule out a military response.
"Reject terrorism," Peres pleaded with the Iranian people. "Stop the nuclear program. Stop the development of long-range missiles. Israel like others in the international community prefers a diplomatic solution.
"But ... if the diplomatic path fails, the nuclear option will be prevented by other means," Peres warned.
Earlier on Sunday, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the deal has handed Iran its "greatest diplomatic victory."
"This agreement is the greatest diplomatic victory of Iran, which has gained recognition for its so-called legitimate right to enrich uranium," Lieberman told public radio.
The historic deal came after five days of intensive negotiations in Geneva between Iranian interlocutors and high-ranking delegations from the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany in the grouping known as the P5+1.
Israel's Economy Minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of a far-right party, meanwhile said his country was not bound by the Geneva deal and had a right to self-defense.
"Iran is threatening Israel and Israel has the right to defend itself," he told a military radio station.
Cabinet minister for intelligence issues, Yuval Steinitz, also said the last-minute changes to the deal were "far from satisfactory" and did nothing to change Israel's position.
"This agreement is still bad and will make it more difficult than before to achieve an appropriate solution in the future," he said. Instead, he compared it to a failed 2007 international deal with North Korea and said it "is more likely to bring Iran closer to having a bomb."
"Israel cannot participate in the international celebration, which is based on Iranian deception and (international) self-delusion," said Steinitz, whose responsibilities include monitoring Iran's nuclear program.
24 November 2013, 08:46
916
Netanyahu is correct ... there aren't enough sanctions ... On Israel!
24 November 2013, 09:35
1216
"Israel and Iran are strategically aligned" ~ ala-din
ha ha ha ha ... How are we supposed to take you seriously?
24 November 2013, 19:06
43
Last time Israel attacked (2006), they did more damage to Lebanon than to HA. HA benefited and emerged stronger while the State of Lebanon became much weaker.
Alawites in Syria (HA allies)have killed more Lebanese and Syrians than Israelis during their reign. They are too busy stealing and controlling Syria and Lebanon than they are interested in liberating the Golan or Palestine. I think the evidence supports ala-din's contention.
24 November 2013, 11:19
06
when other regional countries are stressed ,less stress will be on Lebanon
24 November 2013, 14:00
125
True,
so far on naharnet, they hey snapshots of Aoun, nasrallah, netanyahou lifting the finger.
in other words, 3 malades mentaux!
24 November 2013, 14:06
133
ayya school, ce sont des terroristes dans le sens ou ils terrorisent des populations....
24 November 2013, 14:13
513
Why has the Neten gone berserk? Why? Has he not read the comforting comments by NostraGeha to the Israelis and the quasi-Israelis of Lebanon, aka Farts 14 and Sanni First, that in a few months... well... umm... duh... the Syrian regime will fall again? Oops! Let me correct myself because NostraGeha actually wrote the in a few months... well... umm... duh... these folks will see that Iran has sold the Hezz and ended it with his patented :)? So, ya Neten and ya remaining Netenin here in Lebanon, relax. Calm down. You have waited years already. Can you not wait A FEW MORE MONTHS as confirmed by NostraGeha? walaw ya jame3a? When NostraGeha says something you should listen.
24 November 2013, 18:47
42
You have to wonder what is this "appropriate solution" that Netanyahu screams has been compromised by this interim agreement. You would think that an Israeli would not lift his right hand, as does Netanyahu and make any proclamation that included the word "solution" when speaking of persons of another ethnic and religious background. The use of the phrase "final solution" in Europe to European Jews comes to mind.
24 November 2013, 18:49
43
Rather, he should take all of the fanaticism out of his rhetoric. The sanctions regime that has been in place against Iran for the past 2 years has harmed the Iranian people, but its purpose has been to halt and reverse the Iranian nuclear program. In fact, Iran, under the sanctions regime has expanded the number of centrifuges and increased its uranium to 20%. The sanctions have had the opposite of the intended effect, unless the "appropriate solution" is something other than a peaceful resolution of this issue.
24 November 2013, 18:51
53
If Netanyahu's strategy is to strangle the Iranian economy, not to cause them to be more compliant in negotiations, but to cause them to rush the nuclear program to fruition so that Israel may bomb it and resolve the issue militarily, then yes, Kerry has presented Israel with a problem. How can you solve a problem militarily when a peaceful solution can be achieved. No wonder Netanyahu is pissed. And I am sure he will have more support in the US Congress than he does in the Knesseth.
24 November 2013, 19:12
44
Israel Says Iran Deal 'Historic Mistake' that Gave it 'Greatest Diplomatic Victory'................
Mr. Netanyahu, while I agree that this is a historic mistake I like to point out that Israel is committing many historic mistakes and injustices against Palestinians and others. Continued Settlements in the West Bank, Prosecution of the moderate Palestinians, not agreeing to a viable Palestinian state and return of refugees are all historic mistakes. Evil deeds will eventually come back to haunt you, ask Saddam and Bachar.
24 November 2013, 20:12
42
One more thing. Look at the picture, angry face, wagging finger in the air. Just like SHN and Osama Bin Laden, except in western attire. Extremists have so much in common regardless of their religion.
24 November 2013, 21:59
02
Anyone else think the word "slammed" is over used on this website? Seriously get a thesaurus.
24 November 2013, 23:19
11
Well, here's another problem. Iran is the boogie man in the region, made so by Israel with a huge assist from Khamanie and Ahmadinejad and a host of others. For Israeli security, a strategic alliance with the US is required. For the strategic alliance a common enemy is a necessity. For years it was Saddam and the USSR. Since both have been liquidated, it has become Iran. Fear and hate them because they are unknown. If the US starts to deal with them, then they are not unknown, they are not feared and hated and they lose their status as the regional boogie man for which the US needs its Israeli strategic alliance. Thus Netanyahu's statement that the agreement is an "historic error"
24 November 2013, 23:20
11
For the Saudis, the US dealing with their sectarian enemy is the US giving away to their enemy the Saudi strategic advantage, friendship with the US. So the Saudis oppose as this is an impediment to their on going proxie sectarian war Shia v. Sunni taking place in Syria and Lebanon.
24 November 2013, 23:24
11
For the US, we simply do not want Iran to have a nuclear weapon. From US strategic national interest perspectives, only, the agreement is a temporary testing of good will. Will Iran cease expanding its program. If it is lying, then the deal is off, if it is not lying, then their may be a peaceful way to get to Iran having a nuclear program for peaceful purposes and the US having reached a strategic objective without going to war to get it. Completely rational diplomacy if the US foreign policy agenda is the reference point.
The idea that of course, it goes without saying that Iran is lying, its Mullah's are blood thirsty irrational fanatics, zombies after Israeli and Sunni blood, only feeds the idea of the boogie man, which feeds Israeli and Saudi interests. But is it true?? Are Iranians as characatured by Netanyahu? REad Trita Parsi's Book. See who is sincere and who is not.
