Israeli Ministers Lash Out as U.S.-Iran Deal Is Announced

Israeli coalition ministers and opposition figures reacted sharply after the United States and Iran reached an understanding, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ministers about after receiving a note during a closed Security Cabinet meeting. The report says the cabinet was meeting in an underground bunker when Netanyahu briefly interrupted the session and then returned to say Donald Trump would soon announce an agreement on a memorandum of understanding with Iran. The article says the deal was viewed in Israel as having been struck over the country’s head, against its interests.

Leaked quotes from the meeting, obtained by N12, show ministers urging a hard line. Energy Minister Eli Cohen said there was no point in breaking with Trump, but any response had to create deterrence. Minister Gila Gamliel called to "capture more territory," while Heritage Minister Orit Strock said Israel should exact a price after every Iranian attack so Tehran understands it is not worth it. Transportation Minister Miri Regev said, "Israel is not a client state," and called to stop the "ping pong" of security moves and leave the current equation. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said, "In the Middle East you need to be crazy, we need a bit of Mujtaba's stubbornness."

After news of the agreement, the government tried to soften the blow. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the IDF would remain indefinitely in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza to protect Israeli border communities from jihadist elements. He also warned that if Iran attacked Israel over events in Lebanon, Israel would strike back with full force and show the gap in capabilities. Finance Minister and Defense Ministry Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the deal bad for Israel and for the free world, but said the immediate test was Lebanon and that Israel would not allow a return to the situation of October 6 on the northern border.

The opposition attacked Netanyahu and his government. Naftali Bennett said, "This is not fate," and claimed the outgoing government was unable to decide, adding that his camp had a clear strategic plan to bring down the Iranian regime. Gadi Eisenkot said a grave failure with historic domestic and international legitimacy was turning into the sad outcome of a failing government. Yair Golan said Netanyahu was good for Hamas, Iran, and Hezbollah, but not for Israel. The piece ends by recalling Netanyahu’s own 2022 criticism of Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, when he accused them of sleeping on watch and failing to pressure Washington not to sign a nuclear deal with Iran.