Israeli Opposition Leader Lapid Says Trump’s Emerging Deal With Iran Is ‘Bad For The Region’
JERUSALEM (AP) — The agreement is being discussed Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Monday that the deal between the United States and Iran failed to achieve any of Israel’s war goals, while accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to effect a better deal.
Lapid, part of alliance trying to unseat Netanyahu in the elections This year, it was stated that the details of the emerging agreement were “disturbing”.
“The deal is bad for Israel, bad for the region, bad for Iranian citizens,” Lapid told reporters in Jerusalem.
Israel and USA started the war February 28 vowed to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile program, end its support for proxy militant groups in the region, and end Iran’s ability to pursue a nuclear bomb. Both Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump also said they hope to create conditions that will overthrow the Iranian government.
According to regional officials, Current agreement is being discussed Iran will give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and reopen strategic nuclear power plants. Strait of Hormuz In exchange for ending the US embargo on Iranian ports and lifting sanctions against Iran. Key details regarding Iran’s nuclear program will then be negotiated over a 60-day period. It is unclear whether the deal will target Iran’s missiles or support for regional militant groups.
Lapid expressed gratitude to Trump for starting the war with Israel, but criticized Netanyahu for allowing Washington to negotiate a possible deal with Israel with little coordination.
Noting that Trump said last week, Trump said, “The Israeli government’s ability to influence decisions in Washington is at an all-time low.” I’ll do whatever I want it to do.”
Netanyahu repeatedly emphasized to Trump that Israel maintains “freedom of action” against threats in all areas, according to an official familiar with the Israeli prime minister’s talks with Trump, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
“Israel is a sovereign state, we are not a vassal state and we are not a protectorate,” Lapid said.
Lapid, head of the centrist “Yesh Atid” party, briefly served as prime minister in 2022. Naftali Bennettleader of a small conservative party. Their coalition government Netanyahu’s 12-year rule has ended.
They have it once again united his parties A single group has formed under the leadership of Bennett, who is trying to unseat Netanyahu in the elections to be held at the end of October.
While Lapid has served as Israel’s opposition leader since Netanyahu comes to power in late 2022, Bennett has taken a break from politics. Their alliance aims to unite the fragmented opposition with shared hostility towards Netanyahu.
Lapid, one of a dwindling number of Israeli politicians who support the idea of Palestinian independence, said the issue would not be on the next government’s agenda. He said the conditions were not right following the trauma of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attacks and the wars that followed.
“There will be no two-state solution in the coming years, because the Israelis now understand that this will turn into a failed terrorist state on our borders,” Lapid said, adding that the Palestinian Authority does not have the ability to effectively prevent attacks on Israel.
But Lapid said he would oppose unilateral steps that would make a Palestinian state impossible in the future and said he had received assurances from Bennett, the former West Bank settlement leader, that Israel would not move forward with annexing occupied territory.
Lapid also ruled out cooperating with Arab parties to form a coalition that would unseat Netanyahu.
Opinion polls show that Bennett and Lapid will not be able to form a majority coalition without the support of some Arab MPs, as was the case in their previous governments. They broke a long-standing taboo by inviting in 2021 Mansur AbbasThe leader of a small Arab group joined the coalition governing Israel for the first and only time in Israeli history.
Lapid said his previous cooperation with Abbas was “the right government for now” but that Israel is in a very different place after nearly three years of war and he and Bennett will not form a coalition with Abbas’ party in the next election.
