Minister Zohar Says Israel Must Stop Relying on the United States Alone

Miki Zohar said in a Tuesday interview on Radio Galey Yisrael that it was a mistake to rely only on the United States for support. He said he had “woken up” to the need for Israel to be able to stand on its own, adding, “Israel needs to know how to stand alone. We have the ability to produce better planes than the F-35.”

Zohar argued that Israel is independent in its decisions, pointing to strikes in Dahiya after attacks on northern communities and to Israel’s response when Iran attacked. He said those episodes showed that Israel can act only according to its own security interests.

He said that the goal shared by everyone is the overthrow of the Iranian regime, but argued that the only way to do that would be through “boots on the ground” by the United States, which he said Washington does not want to do. As a result, he said, Israel’s mission is now clear, removing the nuclear threat. “This is what we are focused on now,” he said, adding that the goal will be achieved either through an agreement or through war, and that the same applies to removing enriched uranium.

Asked whether he was disappointed with Donald Trump, Zohar said disappointment was not the right word because Trump has done a great deal for Israel’s security. He said his view had changed and that Israel must learn to stand alone. He also cited Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent remarks about American aid, saying Netanyahu was not speaking casually when he said Israel seeks to reduce dependence to zero.