Netanyahu is a long time advocate for a US-Israeli war against Iran [Marc Israel SELLEM / POOL / AFP via Getty Images]
Israel’s opposition politicians have hit out against a potential US-Iranian deal that would see an end to the war, with blame against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mounting.
Several high-profile opposition figures took to social media to rally against the deal, with Yair Lapid, head of Yesh Atid, labelling the potential agreement “one of the most horrific failures of Israel’s foreign and defence policy.”
“He [Netanyahu] keeps telling everyone: ‘We changed the Middle East.’ The problem is that, due to his negligence, arrogance, lack of a proper team of professionals and judgment influenced by other things, he has changed it for the worse,” he continued.
Lapid was joined by Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beiteinu, who blamed Netanyahu for what he described as a catastrophe for Israel.
“A total victory for the Ayatollah’s,” he added in his post on X.
Speaking to state broadcaster Kan public radio, Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats, accused Netanyahu of leading Israel into an international pariah state.
“The government has made the State of Israel a pariah state, a country that no one speaks to or consults with,” he said.
The prospect of an Iran deal also garnered backlash from within the coalition government, Settlement and National Missions Minister Orit Strock, telling Israeli media that any deal should not limit Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon, and that Israel’s demands on Iran were not being met.
Potential deal
Though not signed yet, details emerged about what could be in the deal that would end the war between Israel, the US and Iran that began on 28 February.
This includes the US releasing $25bn of frozen Iranian assets, allowing for the dilution of uranium within Iran, a waiver on oil sanctions, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports on Sunday.
As well as politicians, Israeli media was awash with articles and op-eds detailing how the deal would be negative for Israel, with much of the blame directed at Netanyahu for what is increasingly being seen as a failure of Israel to achieve its objectives in the war.
A prior announcement of a potential deal between the US and Iran in late May also saw huge backlash from within Israel over the same perceptions of failure, for which Netanyahu was blamed.
Netanyahu is a longtime advocate for a US-Israeli war against Iran, lobbying for one for much of his political career.
