Avner Willen, a former senior Israeli security official and an expert on Iran’s nuclear program, said the emerging agreement with Iran is “very bad,” but argued that Israel is making a bigger mistake by trying to act only militarily. Speaking on 103FM with Gideon Oko and Amiha Etali on June 21, 2026, he said Israel must rethink its approach.
Willen said Israel is still strong and remains stronger than both Hezbollah and Iran. “We will need to start behaving like a state that knows what it wants and knows how to define goals for itself,” he said. He added that force is only one tool, especially in the Middle East, and cannot be the only one.
He criticized the idea that bombing Iran would solve the problem, saying that even striking Iranian civilian infrastructure would not advance Israel’s interests. “We built this country because we were a little dreamers, cheeky and sophisticated, and we have lost most of those abilities. Today we only know how to hit,” he said.
Willen also urged Israeli leaders to keep perspective. He said the country is in a bad geostrategic position, but stressed, “We are here.” He warned against treating every threat as a “super catastrophe” and said fears that “everyone is going to destroy us” are exaggerated. At the same time, he rejected any expectation of a quick breakthrough, saying there will be no “exit” or “magic solution,” and that Israel will have to keep navigating a complex reality for many more years.
