Israeli Opposition Leaders Issue Statement on Iran Deal Framework

Leader of the Yisrael Beytenu party Avigdor Liberman warned that any agreement with Iran would be a “catastrophe” and would leave the current Iranian leadership in place. He made the remarks during a Saturday evening interview with N12. U.S. President Donald Trump to set policy on Iran and Lebanon without asserting Israel’s position.

He said Netanyahu had turned Israel into a “banana republic” and that the United States had forbidden Israel from striking in Lebanon.

Later on Sunday, Netanyahu said he had discussed an agreement with Trump to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and negotiate a final deal on Iran’s nuclear program. U.S. president on matters concerning the Iran deal. He noted that any advanced country could produce a nuclear weapon within months if it chose to do so, and he contrasted Iran’s leadership with that of Germany and Japan.

Blue and White party Benny Gantz also opposed including Lebanon in any Iran-related agreement. He said Israel should not accept a ceasefire in Lebanon as part of such a deal. Gantz warned that accepting a Lebanese ceasefire would allow Hezbollah to present itself as Lebanon’s defender and would constitute a strategic mistake.

Israeli officials have raised concerns that the agreement could limit Israel’s freedom of action in Lebanon and against Iranian threats.