‘Israel is not alone in opposing Iran nuclear deal’

“Israel is not alone in its opposition to the agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme…The moderate Arab states are wielding pressure behind the scenes while Israel is doing this upfront, but unfortunately, their success is the same,” wrote Israeli political commentator Yoaz Hendel in daily newspaper Yediot Aharonot, as he responded to US President Barack Obama’s claim that Israel alone opposes the nuclear agreement with Iran.

Israeli officials, analysts and commentators responded to Obama’s robust defence of the Iran nuclear deal in an address at American University as lobbying intensifies in Washington in advance of a pivotal Congressional vote on the deal in September.

“Because this is such a strong deal…every nation in the world that has commented publicly – with the exception of the Israeli government – has expressed support,” Obama stated.

Also in Yediot Aharonot, analyst Ben-Dror Yemini took issue with the US President’s contention that the deal will prevent war, saying: “The president is mistaken. This agreement does not prevent war, rather, it brings it closer because it gives Iran the international legitimacy to build the infrastructure for manufacturing an arsenal of nuclear bombs and because it finances its terror machine.”

An unnamed Israeli official told the Jerusalem Post that although Obama correctly notes a nuclear Iran is more dangerous than an Iran with sanctions relief, the agreement hands Tehran both.