Likud MK Ariel Kellner said on Tuesday that Israel must be ready to act independently if needed after a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran. In an interview with Dana Varon on Channel 14, he said that despite close strategic coordination with Washington, Israel cannot rely on others to make its decisions. "In the end, we do not make decisions for the United States, and as we have done until now, this time too we will have to take care of ourselves," he said.
Kellner praised the U.S.-Israel relationship, calling it "amazing cooperation" that had brought "many achievements for the State of Israel and the free world as a whole against the axis of evil from Iran." He stressed that responsibility for Israel's future rests with its own leadership: "The prime minister and the leadership of the State of Israel are committed to Israel's security." He added, "If we need to do it alone, we will do it alone."
His remarks came after a senior official in Donald Trump’s administration told The Wall Street Journal on Monday that the deal with Iran is "less stringent" even than the nuclear agreement reached under Barack Obama. Reported details so far say the arrangement includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, lifting the American blockade on Iranian ports and shipping, and extending a ceasefire by 60 days. During that period, Washington and Tehran are expected to negotiate over Iran’s nuclear program.
