Iran’s nuclear program casts shadow on Israeli election
Prime Minister Yair Lapid finds himself in a difficult spot as reports insist the United States is closer to signing a nuclear deal with Iran.
With negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program shifting into high gear over the past few days, they are more than just the top item on Israel’s security agenda. With the November 2022 election fast approaching, they have also become a tool for rival campaigns to attack each other.
Concerns have been growing in recent days in Jerusalem as reports insist that an agreement with Iran could be imminent. Repeated warnings by Israeli security experts and decision-makers only highlight the impression that Israel had little to say on the shaping of the draft that was presented to Tehran by the Europeans a few days ago.
In fact, almost all the major players, from Prime Minister Yair Lapid to opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, agree the forthcoming agreement is bad for Israel and that it will pave the way for Iran to develop a nuclear bomb. Inspecting the issue on the Israeli political level, the real questions are: Who is responsible for this, and who can be blamed?
As prime minister, in the public eyes, Lapid bears the ultimate responsibility for these developments, even if he has only been in office for three months. Channel 13 reported yesterday that efforts in the prime minister’s office to arrange a phone call between Lapid and US President Joe Biden have not been successful, at least as of yesterday. The White House responded that the president is on vacation.
